Energy in Australia
Energy-in-Australia-2015
Energy-in-Australia-2015
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Figure 4.6: Spread of monthly average real spot prices across states <strong>in</strong> the NEM<br />
region compared to the average NEM spot price<br />
$/MWh 2014–15<br />
450<br />
400<br />
350<br />
300<br />
250<br />
200<br />
150<br />
100<br />
50<br />
July<br />
1999 –00<br />
July<br />
2004 –05<br />
Max price<br />
July<br />
2009 –10<br />
Average NEM spot price<br />
July<br />
2014 –15<br />
Notes: Excludes the wholesale prices reported for the Snowy Scheme as well as the price spike <strong>in</strong> 2005<br />
which may be associated with high prices <strong>in</strong> Tasmania at the time that state jo<strong>in</strong>ed the NEM<br />
Source: Global Roam<br />
Retail electricity prices <strong>in</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>, for both households and bus<strong>in</strong>esses<br />
nearly doubled over the period from 2007–08 to 2013–14, but have<br />
started to fall s<strong>in</strong>ce then and are expected by the <strong>Australia</strong>n <strong>Energy</strong><br />
Market Commission to plateau go<strong>in</strong>g forward. Increases were caused by<br />
network costs associated with <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> transmission and distribution<br />
<strong>in</strong>frastructure, due to the need to replace ag<strong>in</strong>g assets and reliably meet<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g occurrences of peak electricity demand.<br />
Recent price decreases have occurred due to the removal of the carbon<br />
pric<strong>in</strong>g mechanism, and due to lower wholesale electricity prices, which<br />
are be<strong>in</strong>g passed on to consumers.<br />
Retail electricity prices are either regulated or determ<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> a competitive<br />
market. Regulated pric<strong>in</strong>g structures <strong>in</strong> the NEM were designed to allow<br />
for recovery of estimated supply costs and have been used to determ<strong>in</strong>e<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> new generation capacity. Market contracts represent an<br />
alternative pric<strong>in</strong>g structure for residential electricity customers and are<br />
largely driven by retail competition.<br />
ENERGY IN AUSTRALIA 2015 49