Hunter Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (HCC Rez) Regulatory Panel

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Operating between December 2024 - June 2025, the panel  provides a customer’s perspective on specific aspects of Ausgrid's HCC REZ regulatory submission, with the understanding that the scope of this panel is constrained by the HCC REZ proposal process.

The Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone Regulatory panel (HCC REZ Reg panel) provides a forum for Ausgrid to obtain a customer’s perspective in the development of Ausgrid’s HCC REZ regulatory proposal.

The HCC REZ Reg panel has a role in:

Pre-lodgement engagement with the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and advising on key areas of interest for customers in accordance with the AER’s Better Resets Handbook.
Reviewing and providing feedback on certain elements of Ausgrid’s HCC REZ regulatory proposal to the AER.
Considering the allocation of risk including contingency and Adjustment Events which are appropriate for a substantial construction project and required to enable the HCC REZ to be delivered.
Demonstrating that the perspectives of consumers have been considered in Ausgrid’s approach to the HCC REZ.

Members
Louise Benjamin (independent)

Mark Grenning (independent)

Mike Swanston (independent)
Biographies

Independent Energy Customer Advocate

Louise Benjamin

Louise is a commercial and regulatory lawyer with extensive experience in energy and telecommunications regulation. She has worked as an independent energy customer advocate since 2016.

Louise is passionate about exploring strategic outcomes which benefit customers of regulated businesses. Her aim is to advocate for a balanced and innovative approach to the energy transition to maximise customer value.

Independent Energy Customer Advocate

Mark Grenning

Mark represents all aspects of electricity and gas supply to large companies in the National Energy Market. He is involved in a wide range of industry and regulatory advisory bodies.

Previously, he was a member of the AER’s Consumer Challenge Panel for five years and lectured in the Energy Masters program at the University of Melbourne for five years. Prior to that, he worked around the world for 30 years with Rio Tinto specialising in electricity and gas supply to operations.

Independent Energy Customer Advocate

Mike Swanston

Mike Swanston is a professional engineer with forty years of technical, regulatory and executive management experience within the Australian electricity industry in the areas of asset management, network performance, capital investment and power system operations.

Mike’s recent engagements include working with utilities, governments and regulators in Australia, Central and South-east Asia and the UAE. Mike assists with the prudent, efficient and sustainable development of utility services to customers; across energy and water, telecommunications and civil aviation.

With over seven years as a member of the Australian Energy Regulator’s Customer Challenge Panel, Mike advises the regulator and utilities on the technical, commercial and social aspects of regulatory price resets, with a focus on customer value and efficient service delivery,

Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (HCC REZ)

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