As the power systems operator for both the National and Wholesale Electricity Markets, AEMO is responsible for maintaining power system security and reliability.

The Future Power System Security program seeks to identify opportunities and challenges to power system security and stability that could arise in the long-term (nominally a 10-year outlook), and promote solutions as soon as practicable where appropriate.

Efficient solutions to some challenges may involve a long lead time to implement, if changes to legislation or Rules are required. This raises the need for early identification and action of long-lead time matters, and the potential need for interim measures to be implemented by AEMO under the current regulatory regime.

AEMO has established a program of work to build on our understanding of the potential opportunities and challenges in operating a stable and secure power system with less synchronous generation.

The diagram below outlines short-term and long-term initiatives.

As part of this long-term program, AEMO has established a Technical Advisory Group to ensure the views of industry are well represented. The group will further explore improvement opportunities across five key categories: frequency control, voltage control, modelling and tools, system restart, and market information.

Our most recent NEM Electricity Statement of Opportunities illustrates the changes in the future generation supply mix by highlighting generation by different fuel types.

Executive General Manager - Corporate Development presented recently at the Australian Clean Energy Summit in July 2016. The presentation touched upon the market trends to date and AEMO's Future Power System Security program.

Frank Montiel, General Manager of Market Policy delivered an address on the Future Power System Security program at the Energy Networks Association's Regulation Seminar in August 2016.