The Public Utilities Office progressed reforms to improve access to Western Power's electricity network in the South West interconnected system (SWIS). These reforms were supported by complementary and consequential reforms to the Wholesale Electricity Market, in particular implementation of security-constrained economic dispatch and market arrangements, co-optimisation of energy and ancillary services, and facility bidding for all Market Participants.
There are also a number of supporting market design changes that needed to be assessed and developed, including but not limited to reducing gate closure, moving to five-minute dispatch intervals, changes to the participation and registration framework, and consequential changes to the Short Term Energy Market.
On 16 July 2018 the Market Advisory Committee (MAC) agreed to establish the Market Design and Operation Working Group (MDOWG) to assist the MAC in providing advice to the Public Utilities Office and the Rule Change Panel on these reforms. The MDOWG's scope of work included consideration, assessment and development of changes to the WEM Rules and WEM Procedures, in respect to the design and operation of the security-constrained market and dispatch system.
The Public Utilities Office provided the secretariat for the MDOWG. The only standing member of the MDOWG was the Chair, appointed by the Public Utilities Office.
MDOWG Terms of Reference
Transformation Design and Operation Working Group
At the 29 July 2019 MAC meeting, the MAC disbanded the MDOWG as the Electricity Transformation Implementation Unit stated that it will manage consultation on the Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy through its own processes. This led to the formation of the Transformation Design and Operation Working Group, which replaced the MDOWG as the key stakeholder consultation forum.
