Submission to the AEMC’s Integrated Distribution System Planning Directions Paper

This Directions Paper is part of a consultation process launched by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) following our Integrated Distribution System Planning (IDSP) rule change request.

Energy Consumers Australia is pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the IDSP Directions Paper published by the AEMC.

Our rule change request, which we lodged in January 2025, requires that Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) make appropriate use of the data they have, and collect and utilise more data to ensure the distribution network can handle projected changes to the electrical grid.

This will significantly improve electricity distribution network visibility and efficiency, ultimately improving consumer service (e.g. by reducing connection timelines), reducing the need for costly network upgrades, and turning consumer investments into shared savings for everyone.

We commend the AEMC for the general approach taken in the Directions Paper and are pleased to see alignment with our proposed rule change .

We strongly support Policy Option 1, as it provides a rigorous and ambitious implementation pathway to greater transparency and establishes a 20-year planning horizon. 

We welcome the connection this option makes to DNSPs’ regulatory proposals while maintaining robust, more regular data reporting. This approach will support more forward-thinking planning as well as proactive investments that enable the integration of Consumer Energy Resources (CER), reducing costs for consumers while advancing the energy transition.

However, we urge the AEMC to adopt a more prescriptive approach to network data reporting. While we see the value in being principles-based, we also see risk in not being prescriptive in data collection where we already have the evidence base and knowledge to support specific data acquisition and reporting.

We also attached UTS’ Distribution System Data Harmonisation paper, which highlights the AER’s support for the rule change, as well as priority datasets for low-voltage visibility. It includes a summary of the AER and AEMO consultation paper submissions, as well as a summary of relevant regulatory processes and reviews for data governance. Importantly, it also includes a list of relevant dataset specifications and frameworks.
 

Download submission (PDF, 791.91KB)

Download the Distribution System Data Harmonisation paper (PDF, 2.43MB)