ENERGY POLICY WA
526. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Energy:
I refer to the Minister for Energy's
media release of 14 July 2021 on the $14.2 million boost to Energy Policy WA.
(1) How much of the announced $14.2 million
is state investment?
(2) How much of
the announced $14.2 million is private sector investment, and who are those
companies or industries?
(3) Please
provide a breakdown of what the $14.2 million investment in Energy Policy WA
specifically consists of and what outcomes are expected to be delivered.
(4) What are the
key performance indicators of this $14.2 million investment, how will they be
assessed and who within government or industry will assess them?
Hon KYLE
McGINN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The answer has been provided to me by the Minister for
Regional Development representing the Minister for Energy.
(1) Approximately $8.2 million is
funded by the state government.
(2) Approximately
$6 million is funded by wholesale electricity market and gas services
information participants, and Pilbara network operators, which includes Synergy
and Horizon Power, along with private sector participants. It is not possible
to determine the exact share of private sector participants as this is determined
ex post facto, based on the fee allocation approach set out in the Wholesale
Electricity Market Rules, the Gas Services Information Rules and the Pilbara
Networks Rules.
(3) Energy Policy WA will deliver the following
services: implementation of stage 2 of the Western Australian government's
energy transformation strategy; implementation of the distributed energy
resources road map; development of the second whole-of-system plan for the
south west interconnected system; market development for the wholesale
electricity market, the gas services information arrangements and the
regulatory framework applying to electricity networks in the Pilbara; rule
administration and rule-making for the Wholesale Electricity Market Rules, the
Gas Services Information Rules and the Pilbara Networks Rules; policy and
technical reviews under the Wholesale Electricity Market Rules; and
continuation of the WA Advocacy for Consumers of Energy Grants Program. Energy
Policy WA's work will contribute to the government's objective
of delivering secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy services to Western
Australian households and businesses.
(4) Energy Policy
WA's overall performance is measured by two key performance indicators.
The agency's key effectiveness
indicator measures the extent to which policy and program development
objectives for the year are achieved. The results are presented as a percentage
of planned priorities completed. The agency's key efficiency indicator
measures the average cost of policy and project development activities. This
indicator measures the efficiency of Energy Policy WA in performing its role on
an average cost per unit basis. The Auditor
General undertakes an annual audit of Energy Policy WA's key
performance indicators. The coordinator of energy—the head of
Energy Policy WA—is required to annually publish information on the breakdown of its budget under the Wholesale
Electricity Market Rules, the Gas Services Information Rules and the Pilbara Networks Rules. The
coordinator of energy is also required to undertake an independent audit
of its rule change activities under the wholesale electricity market every
three years.
The PRESIDENT: I just take
the opportunity to remind members of standing order 106 in relation to answers
to questions and that they should be concise and relevant. Although I recognise
that sometimes the question asked necessitates a long answer, I remind members
of that standing order.