Energy Consumers Australia supports any effort to make the Integrated System Plan (ISP) more robust and transparent to increase stakeholder confidence in the process.
The ISP’s primary role should be to provide a least-cost pathway to meet consumer and system needs, including emissions reduction targets.
To achieve this, the ISP must:
1. Model demand-side resources robustly, allowing them to compete against supply-side resources.
2. Better integrate distribution and transmission planning, recognising the role of CER.
3. Continually assess the optimality of the current development path as technology, policy and consumer behaviour evolve.
However, we do not support the proponent’s proposed solutions.
We understand the concerns around how the ISP incorporates jurisdictional policies. We believe more analysis would be valuable to inform stakeholders on the implications of these policies.
Doing so would ensure the ISP delivers its intended purpose to establish a whole of system plan for the efficient development of the power system.
