MINUTES – Retail Market Consultative Forum (RMCF)

MEETING : 26 DATE: Friday, 3 February 2017 TIME: 10.00 AM – 12.00 PM LOCATION: Teleconference and Videoconference. CONTACT: [email protected] ATTENDEES: Attendees Company Location Errol Murray APA Adelaide David Lipshut Energy Reform Consulting Melbourne Randall Brown Pacific Hydro Melbourne Aleks Smits AGL Melbourne Peter Alberts Jemena Melbourne Melinda Green Energy Australia Melbourne Verity Watson United Energy Melbourne David Havyatt Energy Consumers Australia Sydney Hilary Priest Mojo Power Teleconference Chris Fidler United Energy Teleconference Andrew Mair M2 Teleconference Darren Bailey Origin Teleconference Emille Kueh Jemena Teleconference Jeff Roberts ActewAGL Teleconference Justin Betlehem AusNet Services Teleconference Michael Whitfield Department of Energy Teleconference Adrian Honey Tas Networks Teleconference Mark Palmer Ergon Teleconference Peter Cole Energy Networks Association Teleconference Dino Ou Endeavour Energy Teleconference Adrian Honey Aurora Energy Teleconference Tom Cole Energex Teleconference Charmain Martin Energex Teleconference

AEMO ATTENDEES: Antara Mascarenhas (Chair), Hayley George (Secretariat), Tim Sheridan, Ben Healy, Danny McGowan, Kirsty Camilleri, Mike Ryan, Noura Elhawary.

i. 1. Welcome and Apologies Antara Mascarenhas (Chair) welcomed participants to the 26th meeting of the Retail Market Consultative Forum (RMCF). David Woods (SAPN) was noted as an apology.

ii. 2. Confirm agenda The agenda was confirmed, with the following items added to other business:  ROCL (raised by Origin).  Industry meeting schedule (raised by Endeavour Energy). 3. Administration The minutes of the December teleconference meeting were confirmed as accurate. There are no outstanding actions.

4. Gas Retail Consultative Forum (GRCF) Danny McGowan (AEMO) ran through the retail gas markets collaborative working group report, noting the most recent discussions of the Gas Retail Consultative Forum (GRCF) on 17 January 2017, and the Procedure Change Committee (PCC) on 7 December 2016.

5. Power of Choice (PoC) Antara Mascarenhas (Chair) advised that Slavko Jovanoski’s secondment with AEMO has ended. Tim Sheridan has taken over the role of Readiness Lead, and Noura Elhawary has taken the role of Procedure Lead for the PoC program.

5.1 Program Progress update Ben Healy (AEMO) talked through the RMCF presentation included in the meeting pack, giving a general program update noting that a PCF forum was held on 25 November, at which attendees updated risks and discussed the establishment of readiness testing and transition & cut-over high level requirements. Also, AEMO facilitated the PoC Executive Forum on 15 December, and as a result AEMO is to approach the AER in relation to the classification of VICAMI meters post 1 Dec 2017. Ben also stepped through upcoming dates for the overall program, Procedure package two, B2B Procedures, System and Readiness streams. The PoC Overview diagram (slide 5) was noted, with attendees agreeing that the ‘diamonds’ representing meeting dates are usually incorrect due to the meetings changing frequently, and were therefore misleading. Ben agreed to delete the diamonds when next updating the diagram. The checklists and guidelines milestone dates that require amendments as part of work package two were noted as missing from the presentation. Ben advised that these had previously been circulated, however can be recirculated to the RMCF and included in future meeting presentations (Action Item 26.5.1). Ben also noted a Rule Change that was released on 2 February, which states AEMO must update all Procedures (and some gas ones) by 3 August 2017. A formal consultation will be required, and AEMO will provide a process with timelines for how to meet the requirements shortly.

5.2 Procedure Work stream update Noura Elhawary (AEMO) noted the following dates for the Procedure work stream:  AEMO published Package 2 Draft Determination on 13th December 2016.  Package 2 second stage submissions closed on 16th January 2017 – 21 submissions have been received.  AEMO released draft versions of other Package 2 guidelines and checklists not subject to NER consultation on 23rd December 2017, and requested participant feedback by 23rd January 2017.  AEMO will publish the Package 2 Final Determination on 28 February 2017.  AEMO will release final versions of all other Package 2 guidelines and checklists not subject to NER consultation on 28 February 2017.  AEMO will hold a POC-PWG meeting in March 2017 to discuss Work Package 3 (As Built) contents and key dates.  EMN accreditation document was published 27 January 2017, with feedback requested by COB 3 February 2017. Noura also advised that AEMO plans to host a workshop in March to discuss work package 3 scope, contents, and plan. Invitations to the workshop will be sent shortly.

2 5.3 IEC and B2B Procedure update Bean Healy (AEMO) advised that the IEC met on 21 December 2016 and endorsed the draft determination presented by the B2B-WG. The next meeting will be held on 20 February 2017, at which they will sign off on the completed procedures. The AEMO board next meet on 2 March 2017 and will endorse the Procedures, which will then be published on 6 March 2017.

5.4 Readiness update Tim Sheridan (AEMO) provided an overview of the key readiness points on slide 11 of the presentation and recommended that stakeholders review the January 2017 Market Readiness Reports that AEMO has published. Tim advised that AEMO had extended the submission date to 8 March for the February 2017 readiness reports and recommended participants advise AEMO via email if there has been no change from their January to February readiness reports. Tim also advised that the first draft of the Industry Accreditation and Registration Plan for industry review at 13 Feb RWG meeting. A new Industry Test Working Group (ITWG) has been established, with the first meeting scheduled for 13 February. At this first ITWG, AEMO plans to discuss initial drafts of the Industry Test Strategy and the Industry Testing Plan for the EN and MC. At the RWG meeting on 7 March, AEMO is targeting to present a paper on transition and cutover options, and Tim welcomed any suggestions and ideas to contribute to the draft paper.

6. Other Business ROCL Origin raised that new participants are not being listed on the ROCL. This causes an issue when trying to transfer a customer from a new participant and an issue or objection occurs, as there is no contact details of who to contact to resolve the issue, preventing the transfer from completing and affecting the consumer. AEMO agree that this presents a risk, and that adding new participant details to the ROCL should be done during the registration process (which currently is a voluntary item for new entrants, but should possibly be compulsory). AEMO has a SME investigating this issue, and he will contact Origin to discuss further, and will update the RMCF when there is an update. It was noted that a self-serve ROCL portal is being developed for gas, which is intended to roll out for electricity participants once the gas participants have tested and are happy with the system. Industry meeting schedule Endeavour raised that the industry meeting schedule is often confusing as there are so many changes to PoC meetings, it is sometimes out of date. AEMO advised they intend to start a PoC newsletter, which will advise of meeting dates and any changes. AEMO also requested some practical examples of what else is confusing about the schedule to assist AEMO to make improvements. Forward Plan Antara Mascarenhas (Chair) asked what else stakeholders would like to see on RMCF agendas for 2017, in addition to PoC and gas update. The following suggestions were made:  General jurisdictional updates regarding PoC or other related issues.  Maintaining the Collaborative WG report.  A ‘plan on a page’ for the Readiness with dates.

7. Next Meeting The next RMCF meeting will take place on Friday 24 February 2017.

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