National role

AEMO provides an all-hazards approach to the prevention of, response to, and recovery from gas emergencies across Australia. This work includes:

• Conducting exercises to test and strengthen emergency arrangements and communications protocols.

• Managing and participating in key emergency planning and advisory committees and forums.

AEMO’s gas emergency functions contribute to the long-term community objective of a safe, secure, and reliable supply of natural gas.

National Gas Emergency Response Advisory Committee (NGERAC)

The National Gas Emergency Response Advisory Committee (NGERAC) is a planning and coordinating forum made up of government representatives from each jurisdiction and is chaired by the Commonwealth Department responsible for Energy. NGERAC facilitates efficient and effective communication across government during major natural gas supply shortages.

AEMO will keep Jurisdiction Representatives informed of identified risks or threats as they are invited to attend any East Coast Gas System conferences. The processes AEMO may follow for the ECGS are detailed below.

An NGERAC ITGSP conference can be called, as a result of these conferences, so that the Commonwealth and Jurisdictional Representatives can confirm key messages for public communications and advice for relevant officials.

Managing gas supply reliability and adequacy in the East Coast Gas System

AEMO monitors and manages the gas supply reliability and adequacy for the East Coast Gas System. To do this, AEMO monitors and assesses information submitted by participants to the Gas Bulletin Board to determine if there is an identified risk or threat to the gas supply reliability and adequacy.

In the event a potential identified risk or threat event is detected AEMO will inform industry and work with industry to resolve the event. AEMO may enact the processes detailed on the system operations webpage.

Managing supply disruptions in Short Term Trading Markets

AEMO’s Contingency Gas arrangements balance physical supply and demand in the event that normal market mechanisms are unlikely to achieve this balance. Contingency Gas arrangements are implemented through an industry consultation process which is coordinated by AEMO.

AEMO’s Contingency Gas processes are outlined on the Contingency Gas webpage. These processes operate in parallel to AEMO’s ECGS processes.

Managing threats to system and Emergencies in the Victorian Declared Wholesale Gas Market

AEMO, as Victorian Declared Transmission System Operator and Declared Wholesale Gas Market operator monitors and manages threats to system security.

AEMO’s processes for responding to threats to system security are detailed in the Wholesale Market Procedures on the Declared Wholesale Gas Market (DWGM) webpage. If a threat to system security results in an emergency then AEMO’s Victorian role in managing gas emergencies are detailed on this webpage.