About the NEM
Australia's National Electricity Market
The National Electricity Market (NEM)-a wholesale market for electricity supply in the Australian Capital Territory and the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia-commenced operating on 13 December 1998. The NEM delivers electricity to market customers on an interconnected power system that stretches more than 4000 km from Port Douglas in Queensland to Port Lincoln in South Australia, and includes a sea-bed cable between Victoria and Tasmania. The NEM comprises five regions that are based on State boundaries, Tasmania becoming the fifth region of the NEM in 2005.
Establishment of the NEM was the result of extensive consultation and collaboration between the states and the electricity supply industry. The NEM's development was guided by a major 1990s Industry Commission report that recommended a major restructure of the industry. The reforms led to the disaggregation of the vertically integrated government-owned electricity authorities into separate generation, transmission, distribution and retail sales sectors in each State. The goal of the reform process was to increase competition in the industry and provide greater choice for end-use electricity consumers.
NEMMCO and the Market
NEMMCO was established in May 1996 to implement, administer and operate the wholesale NEM, continually improve its efficiency and manage the security of the power system.
Broadly, NEMMCO's functions are to:
- operate Australia 's National Electricity Market (NEM);
- maintain the security of the interconnected power system, and
- coordinate planning for the interconnected power system.
Within the NEM, NEMMCO is responsible for the registration of participants, the scheduling and dispatch of generators, the management of transmission constraints, and the financial settlement of trades in the market. In 2006-07, approximately 195,000 gigawatts of electricity – valued at more than $11.6 billion – was traded in the NEM.
An Introduction to Australia's National Electricity Market. 6th ed.
This booklet, published June 2008, provides a basic overview of the NEM and NEMMCO's role in the market.
For information regarding hard copies please email NEMMCO's Information Centre or phone us on 1300 361 011 (toll free).
Executive Briefings
NEMMCO is developing a series of information papers on various aspects of the NEM’s operation for a non-technical audience. The first of these papers are available below in electronic form.
For hard copies of executive briefings (where available) please email NEMMCO's Information Centre or phone us on 1300 361 011 (toll free).
Statement of Opportunities & Annual National Transmission Statement
The Statement of Opportunities (SOO) is intended to be a source of technical and market data to provide relevant and useful information regarding opportunities in the NEM. The SOO is available for purchase from NEMMCO. See links below for executive briefings and order forms.
Energy and Demand Projections - Summary Report
Each year, NEMMCO receives regional energy consumption and maximum demand projections, for a 10-year outlook period, from the NEM Jurisdictional Planning Bodies (JPBs).
The following
link:
- provides a summary of these projections for the 10-year period commencing winter 2008; and
- includes a discussion of the processes and assumptions underlying the forecasts.
Drought Reports
NEMMCO produced a report entitled the "Potential Drought Impact on Electricity Supplies in the NEM", and presented this report to the Ministerial Council on Energy (MCE) in May 2007. At the meeting, the MCE authorised NEMMCO to release the report. This report, and subsequent Drought Scenarios Investigation reports, investigate the potential impact of the drought (within eastern and south-eastern Australia) on electricity supplies in the National Electricity Market.
Week in Review
The week in review Bulletin provides a snapshot of high, low and average price and demand data for each week, along with interconnector flow and temperature data. The archived bulletins can be downloaded in pdf format, and the data used in generating the bulletin is also available in csv file format.
NEMMCO offers training courses on different aspects of the NEM to staff of registered participants and relevant jurisdictions and regulatory bodies.
Our courses are designed to improve participant understanding of how the National Electricity Market (NEM) works.
We currently offer 3 face-to-face courses in our program, as follows:
You can also contact the NEM Education team via e-mail: education@nemmco.com.au to find our more about our courses and products.
We look forward to hearing from you,
The NEM Education Team
PLEASE NOTE : NEMMCO's Education program is only offered to staff of registered participants in the NEM and electricity regulators and jurisdictions. If you are not sure, please contact the NEM Education team to determine your eligibility to attend.
