The influence of transmission on further development of power exchange in the Australian national electricity market

Transmission has had a large influence on planning, development and operation of the Australian NEM. The NEM has a single model of dispatch but this is significantly influenced by transmission issues, including congestion, losses, flow paths, prices, reserve margins and reliability. New initiatives are presently being undertaken including the Annual National Transmission Statement (ANTS) and regional structure review. The drivers for present and future transmission augmentation are also discussed.