The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has released an issues paper to consult with stakeholders in the development of the gas Pipeline Information Disclosure Guidelines (the guidelines).
The issues paper discusses options and sets out our proposed position on key issues including what financial information service providers must publish, how assets are to be valued, and how information is to be published.
The guidelines are required under the new prescribed transparency information requirements that apply to all gas pipelines under Part 10 of the National Gas Rules following agreement by Energy Ministers.
Interested stakeholders are invited to make submissions by Tuesday, 9 May 2023. Written submissions or requests to make a submission via alternative methods (e.g. through a meeting with AER staff) should be emailed to: AERgasreform
aer [dot] gov [dot] au (AERgasreform[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au).
We will consider these submissions for draft guidelines to be released later this year for further consultation.
Background
The guidelines are a requirement under the new Part 10 of the National Gas Rules, which was announced on 23 March 2023, and are intended to improve transparency and the bargaining power of gas pipeline users.
The guidelines must cover matters like what financial information a gas pipeline service provider (service provider) is required to publish, the methods and inputs a service provider must use to calculate this information, and how information must be published on service providers’ websites.