Proposed Extension of AEMO’s East Coast Gas System Reliability and Supply Adequacy Functions

Overview

Energy Ministers are considering whether to give the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) new last resort powers to help prevent the realisation of structural shortfalls if the market does not respond in time.

Ministers are also considering extending the scope of the Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) to help reduce any information barriers that may be impeding market-led investment.

We are seeking stakeholder feedback on:

• whether there is a need to extend AEMO’s powers and the GSOO

• what these new powers and an expanded GSOO could look like, and what their costs, benefits and risks might be

• what changes would be needed to laws, regulations and rules to put these reforms in place.

The feedback provided by stakeholders to this consultation will be used to inform Officials’ advice to Ministers in mid-2026.

Have your say

To facilitate consultation on possible changes to relevant regulatory frameworks, an exposure draft Bill has been prepared along with draft Regulations and draft Rules. A guide to the draft regulatory package has also been prepared.

Lodge a written submission

To have your say:

• read the Consultation Paper and its attachments provided below

• develop your responses to the questions posed in the Consultation Paper and attached Guide to the regulatory package (you are strongly encouraged to use the response template provided in Attachment C)

• upload your written submission by 5:00pm AEDT on Friday, 13 February 2026.

Consultation documents

Key documents relating to the Proposed Extension of AEMO’s East Coast Gas System Reliability and Supply Adequacy Functions consultation are provided below:

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions - Consultation Paper [PDF 1.77MB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions - Consultation Paper [DOCX 1.68MB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment A1 Draft Bill [PDF 83KB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment A2 Draft Regulations [PDF 46KB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment A3 Draft Rules [PDF 368KB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO's ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment B Regulatory Package Guide [PDF 877KB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment B Regulatory Package Guide [DOCX 1.05MB]

• Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Functions Consultation - Attachment C Submission Template [DOCX 121KB]

Virtual briefing

On 14 January 2026. we held a virtual briefing for interested stakeholder groups and individuals. Below is a recording and transcripts of the virtual briefing, along with the Powerpoint slides used for the briefing.

Video recording

https://share.viostream.com/reb6y5kra44qta

Transcripts

• Virtual briefing transcript - Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Powers [PDF 137KB]

• Virtual briefing transcript - Proposed Extension of AEMO’s ECGS RSA Powers [DOCX 63KB]

Powerpoint slides

• Virtual Briefing - Proposed Extension of AEMO's ECGS RSA Powers - Powerpoint slides [660KB]

Bilateral meetings

If you have any questions about the potential reforms, please do not hesitate to reach out to us to arrange a bilateral meeting to discuss. To do so, please email GAS@dcceew.gov.au, with the following subject line:

'AEMO Powers - Request for meeting'