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FACT SHEET
Energy Co-Ordination and Planning Amendment Bill 2018
During 2015-16 Tasmania experienced a significant energy security event resulting from a
combination of the record low spring rainfall and an extended outage of the Basslink
interconnector. The Tasmanian Government established the Tasmanian Energy Security
Taskforce (the Taskforce) following this event to advise the Government how to prepare for,
and mitigate against, the risk of such events in the future.
The Taskforce recommended the adoption Energy Security Risk Response Framework (the
Framework) which outlines the interaction between energy security risk response thresholds and
proposed energy security oversight roles.
The energy security oversight roles recommended by the Taskforce were a Monitor and Assessor
role, and an Energy Security Co-ordinator role.
As per the Taskforce’s recommendation, interim measures were put in place to ensure that the
Framework’s new energy security oversight roles were in place prior to the 2017-18 dry season.
The Tasmanian Economic Regulator is undertaking the role of Monitor and Assessor. The
Director of Energy Planning is undertaking the role of the Energy Security Co-ordinator.
The Energy Co-ordination and Planning Amendment Bill 2018 (the Bill) is designed to give statutory
basis to these energy security oversight roles and to ensure that relevant officers or bodies have
the appropriate functions and powers to support the roles and responsibilities. It also formalises
key aspects of the Framework.
The Bill:
Establishes the role of Monitor and Assessor and appoints the Tasmanian Economic
Regulator (as appointed under the Economic Regulator Act 2009) to this role.
Establishes the position of Energy Security Co-ordinator and appoints the Director of
Energy Planning (as appointed under the Energy Co-ordination and Planning Act 1995) to
this role.
Details the functions and powers of the Monitor and Assessor to provide independent
oversight and transparent public reporting on energy security. It also outlines the Monitor
and Assessor’s reporting requirements.
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Details the functions and powers of the Energy Security Co-ordinator to coordinate
responses to manage electricity supply risks when water storages are near or below an
identified ‘energy security reserve’ level. It also outlines the Energy Security Co-
ordinator’s reporting requirements.
In particular, clarifies the information gathering powers of the Monitor and Assessor and
Energy Security Co-ordinator, including provisions to ensure the confidentiality of certain
information.
Outlines the escalating communication and response actions to be initiated by the
Monitor and Assessor and Energy Security Co-ordinator when energy in storage levels
reach specific thresholds.
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