The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has updated its Semi-Scheduled Generator (SSG) Compliance Bulletin and checklist to reflect necessary changes following the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) enablement of bid energy Max Avail for SSGs.
In August 2023, AEMO enabled the bid energy Max Avail field to be used by SSGs. The use of Max Avail can help SSGs to manage their commercial availability through the energy bid. This change sought to improve participants’ communication of real-time energy availability for their semi-scheduled generating unit(s).
The AER’s SSG Compliance Bulletin outlines our expectations for SSG compliance with critical obligations under the National Electricity Rules (NER). While these expectations are similar to those for Scheduled Generators, there are some differences due to the reliance of SSGs on specific weather conditions as a fuel source.
The related checklist sets out tasks that may assist SSGs to achieve compliance with the relevant obligations and provides links to relevant supporting procedures published by the AER and AEMO. It also contains web links to related procedures and guidelines.
The SSG Compliance Bulletin has also been updated to reflect the AER’s expectations around the use of self-forecasting by SSGs that choose to submit self-forecasts to AEMO for use in the dispatch process. Other minor updates have been made in line with amendments to the NER.
Participants should review their practices against the information set out in the Bulletin and checklist and update them as appropriate.