Parliamentary roundtable on national electricity grid inquiry

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy will hold a roundtable public hearing on Thursday for its inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid.

The Committee is conducting an inquiry into this important topic and has been receiving wide-ranging feedback from the Australian community via the online questionnaire created for the inquiry.

In this initial roundtable, the Committee said in a statement it is looking forward to hearing from the key players about the history of the electricity grid in Australia, how it developed to its current operational state, and the current challenges being faced by the grid in meeting modern demands.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the electricity grid in Australia is entering a significant period of transition,” committee chair Andrew Broad MP said.

“There are new sources of electricity, such as wind and solar, being fed into the grid, and consumers are demanding more information about how and why their electricity is being generated and distributed.

“The Committee is conscious that there is a lot of work being done in this space currently.

“The government, regulators, operators and consumers are at a pivotal point in the future of energy in Australia, and a modern electricity grid is essential.

“There is a role for the community and lawmakers in shaping this change and modernisation.

“This Committee needs to be well-informed to ensure that its contribution is meaningful and appropriate.”

Deputy chair of the Committee Pat Conroy MP said the roundtable will help set the scene for the inquiry, and help understand how the grid “got to the point it did”.

“We will also be looking to identify some of the challenges with the current grid, which the Committee can investigate further and address throughout the inquiry,” he said.

The Committee will hear from various energy industry bodies, including the Australian Energy Regulator, Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australian Energy Council and Energy Networks Australia.

Previous articleAEMO publishes final report on SA blackouts
Next articleEOI open for South Australia’s gas-fired power station