The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has published a revised version of the Significant price reporting guidelines (Guideline) for monitoring and reporting on significant price outcomes under clauses 3.13.7 and 3.13.7A of the National Energy Rules (Rules).
The purpose of the Guideline is to inform interested parties on our approach, criteria and procedures for significant price reporting. Reports prepared under the Guideline explain the key drivers of significant price outcome events. This assists stakeholders and policymakers to assess whether the market is functioning effectively.
The criteria for significant price outcomes to be reported on from Q1 2026 onwards will be days where the maximum 30-minute price in the NEM markets across all regions is:
- the highest priced day for a month; and
- the next highest priced day in the calendar quarter.
This will result in a minimum of four days being selected as significant price outcomes. The AER may also apply a principles-based approach to select other price outcomes to report on if it deems them to have more significance than the selected days.
Regarding reports on events which occurred prior to January 2026, please refer to the 2022 Guideline here.
The notice of final decision which explains the consultation process, key changes and rationale behind the current version of the Guideline can be found at the 2025 review of the Significant price reporting guidelines for wholesale electricity.