Consultation Process
The RIT-T public consultation process requests submissions from Registered Participants, AEMO and interested parties (including non-network solution providers, consumer representatives or others) on the proposed options.
What is the RIT-T process?
Powerlink undertakes the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) when the estimated cost of the most expensive option to reinvest in network assets or increase the capacity of Queensland’s high voltage transmission network is over $8 million. The RIT-T framework is set out in the National Electricity Rules (NER) and a RIT-T Instrument and Guideline developed by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
The RIT-T applies to transmission augmentations network asset replacements and system security service investments.
Transmission network, distribution network or non-network alternatives (such as demand management, local generation, energy storage or alternate technologies) are considered as options for reinvestment, augmentation and system security needs where technically feasible.
For details of our cost estimating process and asset risk cost methodology please refer to Powerlink’s Cost Estimating Methodology and Overview of Asset Risk Cost Methodology.
For more information, please refer to our RIT-T information sheet.
RIT-T stages
Stage 1 - Project Specification Consultation Report
The Project Specification Consultation Report (PSCR) gives Registered Participants, AEMO and interested parties an opportunity to provide feedback and advice regarding credible options presented and issues addressed in the PSCR. The PSCR is open for submissions for at least 12 weeks. A summary of the PSCR is placed on the AEMO website, with the full version available on Powerlink’s investment consultation page.
Stage 2 - Project Assessment Draft Report is published
The Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR) contains a summary of any feedback and advice received on the PSCR, an economic assessment of credible options, and identification of the preferred option. This provides an opportunity for Registered Participants, AEMO and interested parties (including individual customers) to provide feedback on the preferred option. The PADR is open for submissions for at least six weeks. A summary of the PADR is placed on the AEMO website, with the full version available on the investment consultation page.
In certain circumstances, such as where the estimated capital cost of the preferred option is less than $54 million and no material market benefits have been identified, a PADR is not required. In those instances, the information required to be included in the PADR is included at the PSCR stage.
Stage 3 - Project Assessment Conclusions Report is published
The Project Assessment Conclusions Report (PACR) responds to any submissions on the PADR and identifies the preferred option to the identified need. A summary of the PACR is placed on the AEMO website, with the full version available on the investment consultation page.
Once the PACR is published, Registered Participants and interested parties may (within 30 days) dispute the conclusions set out in the PACR. Each PACR includes information on how a dispute may be raised.
Stage 4 – A Material change of circumstances may occur
A Material Change in Circumstances (MCC) process must be initiated when material changes occur six months after the PACR is published. The MCC process includes notification to the AER of the material change(s) and completing actions to respond to the change(s). Learn more about a Material Change in Circumstances.
Stakeholder engagement and consultation
To enhance the value and outcomes of the Regulatory Investment Test for Transmission (RIT-T) engagement process, Powerlink has developed a stakeholder engagement matrix.
Variants of the RIT-T
There are two types of RIT-Ts (with different processes) which must be undertaken prior to investment for projects identified:
- as ‘actionable’ in AEMO’s Integrated System Plan (ISP) which is a long-term strategic transmission network development plan for Australia’s eastern seaboard; or
- by a Transmission Network Service Provider’s in its annual planning review or AEMO in its Transition Plan for System Security to meet network augmentation, asset replacement and system security needs.
Potential projects (and/or their non-network solutions) which are defined in the National Electricity Rules as actionable ISP projects. These projects are identified in AEMO’s Draft and Final ISP.
The RIT-T consultation process for actionable ISP projects:
Potential projects (and/or their non-network solutions) which are identified through Powerlink’s internal planning processes. This is the most common type of RIT-T undertaken (i.e. not actionable ISP projects).
The RIT-T consultation process for non-actionable ISP projects:
