Our draft guideline sets out our process and method for how we make contribution determinations under the National Electricity (South Australia) (Firm Energy Reliability and Orderly Exit Management) Regulations 2025 (FERM Regulations).

The draft Guideline explains how we propose to:

• collect and assess information from scheme entities
• calculate annual contribution amounts to be recovered through the scheme
• determine and maintain a minimum prudent cash balance for the FERM Fund
• issue contribution determinations and contribution notices to transmission network service providers. 

The Guideline is intended to provide transparency on the AER’s role and processes under the FERM Regulations, including the type of information we may require, the methodology we will apply, and the timing of key steps in the annual contribution determination process.

The AER invites interested stakeholders to make a submission on the draft guideline by the close of business on 19 May 2026.  

Submissions should be emailed to: FERMaer [dot] gov [dot] au (subject: 2026%20Scheme%20Regulator%20Guideline%20-%20contribution%20determination%20module%20review%20-%20submission) (FERM[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au) with an email title of ‘2026 Scheme Regulator Guideline - contribution determination module review - submission’.

Feedback will be used to inform the final guideline, which is to be published in June 2026.

If providing a written submission, we prefer it be publicly available to facilitate informed and transparent consultation. We will treat written submissions as public documents unless otherwise requested