Entities delivering the Roadmap

The Minister for Energy

Under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (EII Act), the Minister for Energy is responsible for the delivery of the Roadmap. The Minister appoints key Roadmap entities including the Consumer Trustee, the Regulators, Infrastructure Planner, and members of the Renewable Energy Sector Board. The Minister’s responsibilities include declaring Renewable Energy Zones (REZs), establishing access schemes, directing network operators to construct projects, and directing the Consumer Trustee to conduct firming tenders. The Minister also prepares statutory reviews every five years to determine whether the policy objectives of the EII Act remain valid and whether the terms remain appropriate for securing its objectives.

EnergyCo

The Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) is the Infrastructure Planner for the first five NSW Renewable Energy Zones set out in the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020. It coordinates where the generation, long duration storage and firming capacity will be built.

EnergyCo is responsible for planning the location of Renewable Energy Zones and contracting and overseeing the suppliers delivering the transmission network infrastructure required to connect the generation built in Renewable Energy Zones to the electricity grid.

EnergyCo released the 20-year Network Infrastructure Strategy for NSW in May 2023. The strategy guides the practical coordination of NSW network infrastructure to connect new generation and storage in NSW’s five Renewable Energy Zones. It also meets the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 objectives. 

Consumer Trustee

The Consumer Trustee is an independent role, appointed by the Minister for Energy under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020.

The Consumer Trustee’s purpose is to act independently and in the long-term financial interests of NSW electricity customers to improve the affordability, reliability, security and sustainability of electricity supply. It does this through long-term planning and well-structured procurement processes.

The Consumer Trustee plays a pivotal role in:

• planning the level of investment in generation, storage, firming and network infrastructure over time in NSW
• authorising network infrastructure projects
• administering tenders to identify the best generation, firming and storage projects to offer Long-Term Energy Service Agreements
• appointing a Financial Trustee to establish, own and administer the Scheme Financial Vehicle and execute Long-Term Energy Service Agreements. 

AEMO Services Ltd, a subsidiary of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), has been appointed as the NSW Consumer Trustee.

AEMO Services, as the Consumer Trustee, has published the 2023 Infrastructure Investment Objectives (IIO) Report. The IIO Report outlines to investors, developers, and the public what generation and long duration storage is required in NSW and when, while minimising costs for NSW consumers and maintaining reliable electricity supply. The IIO report sets out what is needed, including:

• the NSW Consumer Trustee’s 20-year Development Pathway for the construction of electricity infrastructure in NSW, and
• its 10-Year Plan for conducting competitive tenders for Long-term Energy Service Agreements (LTESAs) to give effect to the Development Pathway.

The Final 2023 IIO report was published in December 2023. It is updated every two years.

Electricity Infrastructure Jobs Advocate

The Minister for Energy appointed Dr Mark Apthorpe as the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Jobs Advocate. Dr Apthorpe lives in the Hunter region and is the current chair of the Hunter Plant Operator Training School Ltd (HPOTS) and the Hunter section of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). He has also held senior executive roles in energy and logistics businesses.

As the Jobs Advocate, Dr Apthorpe advises the Minister on:

• strategies and incentives to encourage investment, development, workforce development, employment, education and training in the energy sector as New South Wales transitions to renewable energy. His focus is on regional NSW, including the Hunter, Central Coast, Illawarra, Far West, South West, New England and Central West regions of New South Wales.
• road, rail and port infrastructure required in the regions listed above to promote export opportunities for generation, storage and network technology.

The Jobs Advocate is required to report to the Minister for Energy on his activities once a year. Dr Apthorpe consults with Roadmap entities, government agencies, local councils and business and community stakeholders to inform his reports.

The first report to the Minister in June 2022 outlines Dr Apthorpe’s findings on employment, training and workforce development in the Renewable Energy Zones. It also identifies infrastructure that promotes export opportunities for generation, storage and network technology.

The second report to the Minister in June 2023 presents 6 recommendations to the Minister and the NSW Government to increase skills, training and jobs in the renewable energy sector and build the workforce needed to deliver the Roadmap. 

The NSW Government supports all 6 of Dr Apthorpe’s recommendations in its response to the Jobs Advocate’s second report. 

Renewable Energy Sector Board

The Renewable Energy Sector Board (the Board) was established in February 2021 under Section 7 of the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (the Act). The Board helps make sure local workers, communities, and industries share in the economic benefits of the transition to a more affordable, clean and reliable electricity system.

The Minister appoints representatives to the Board from the following groups:

• trade unions
• manufacturers of steel, aluminium and others similar materials
• metal fabricators
• employers in the electricity, manufacturing and construction sectors
• the renewable energy industry
• NSW electricity customers
• the Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)

The Board has developed a plan for the NSW renewable energy sector to achieve objectives in relation to the construction of generation, storage and network infrastructure in a cost-effective way. These objectives include:

• the use of locally produced and supplied goods and services 
• employment of suitably qualified local workers 
• opportunities for apprentices and trainees. 

The Board also advises the Minister and Roadmap delivery entities on how to support the growth and competitiveness of the NSW renewable energy sector and jobs for NSW workers.

The Board is required to report to the Minister on its activities. It submitted a report in March 2021, June 2021, June 2022 and June 2023.

For more information about the work of the Board, read here.

Process to increase recommended Local Content Requirements 

The Board’s plan sets out recommendations to the Minister and Consumer Trustee on minimum local content requirements for generation, network and storage projects under the Roadmap. 

These local content requirements cover goods and services for the construction and operation of Roadmap infrastructure. They include materials, equipment, components and services produced in Australia and New Zealand.

The Board has developed a process to increase local content requirements over time, to provide greater certainty to businesses seeking to make investments in local supply chains for the renewable energy sector.

The Board’s process:

• links future increases in local content requirements with investment decisions
• considers Australia’s trade obligations
• considers the financial interests of NSW electricity consumers

Submission guidelines

The Board welcomes market-led submissions to increase the Board’s recommended local content requirements through the DCCEEW grants management system. The Submission Guidelines outline:

• The information required in a submission
• How to make a submission
• How submissions will be assessed by the Board

The process is open to:

• Small to medium enterprises in Australia and New Zealand
• Aboriginal businesses 

Briefing session

A virtual briefing session will provide submission and assessment guidance for the process to increase the Board’s recommended local content requirements. It will be held at 11:30 on 11 December 2024. Click here to register for the briefing session.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]. 

Key dates

Submissions from Proponents are invited at any time. Assessments will follow this indicative annual cycle:

• Stage 1 – November to February: Preliminary Assessment
• Stage 2 – March to October: Detailed Assessment
• Stage 3 – August to December: Approval of recommended changes to local content requirements

Australian Energy Regulator

The Australian Energy Regulator has a number of statutory functions under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020, including determining the amount payable to network operators for network infrastructure projects. Its functions may be divided, and more than one body or person may be appointed. 

On 12 November 2021, the NSW Government appointed the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) as a regulator under the NSW Electricity Roadmap.

The key functions the AER has been appointed to under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 include:

• making 5-year revenue determinations for network infrastructure projects authorised by the Consumer Trustee, including the calculation of the prudent, efficient and reasonable capital costs of these projects
• making annual contribution determinations in relation to the Electricity Infrastructure Fund
• approving a risk management framework developed by the Consumer Trustee
• reviewing tender rules in relation to long-term energy service agreements.

The Energy Security Target Monitor

The NSW Government has appointed the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) as the Energy Security Target (EST) Monitor for the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (EII Act). 

Under the appointment, AEMO is responsible for calculating and setting a 10 year energy security target for NSW. This target is designed to provide market certainty as it ensures that there will be reliable supplies of electricity available to meet electricity demands over the medium term. Find out more about Energy Security Target Monitor
 

Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal NSW

In December 2021, the Minister for Energy (Minister) appointed IPART as a regulator under the EII Act. A key function of IPART’s role is to prepare an annual report on the exercise of functions under the EII Act by the Consumer Trustee, the Financial Trustee, the Infrastructure Planner and the Regulator. 

IPART is also responsible for undertaking performance audits on the entities delivering the Roadmap, as well as recommending the Renewable Energy Sector Board’s plan to the Minister, to ensure it protects the financial interests of NSW electricity consumers and is consistent with Australia’s international trade obligations. 

Find out more about IPART.