The AER is seeking further information from AEMO Victoria Planning (AVP) and Transgrid to explain how the Project Assessment Conclusions Report (PACR) for the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) for the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector (VNI-West) satisfies the National Electricity Rules.
The AER is requesting that AVP and Transgrid provide further information on the PACR to explain the basis for why the proposed options have been included in the PACR, and the conclusion that there is only one credible option.
The AER is also requesting additional information and analysis on the options for the NSW component of the project.
Further detail can be found on the compliance issue register.
The inclusion of a matter on our register does not mean there is a non-compliance associated with the VNI West RIT-T.
AVP and Transgrid must identify how these matters have been resolved in their compliance report that must be published no later than 26 June 2023.
The AER will publish the compliance report for VNI West once it has been received.
Background
The AER is responsible for monitoring, investigating and enforcing compliance with the RIT-T requirements in the rules and relevant guidelines. The AER monitors compliance with these requirements both directly, and also from stakeholder intelligence, via the AER’s compliance issues register.
RIT proponents are required to submit a compliance report to the AER in relation to the final RIT-T for actionable Integrated System Plan (ISP) projects which must be submitted no later than 20 business days after the publication of the project assessment conclusions report. The compliance report requires, amongst other things, that the RIT-proponent explain how they have resolved an issue(s) raised on the register (if applicable).
The AER compliance register is separate from our dispute resolution role in the rules and the inclusion of a matter on our register does not mean there is a non-compliance associated with the VNI West RIT-T. We also have a dispute resolution role, where parties listed in rule 5.16B(a) may raise a dispute on the conclusions in the PACR. The closing date for raising a dispute with the AER on the VNI West PACR is 26 June 2023.