The management and regulation of businesses that own complex and capital-intensive assets has taken on new dimensions as frameworks for regulation evolve and become more comprehensive.  As regulatory regimes transform, the pressure to deliver value to shareholders and consumers, whilst being flexible enough to accommodate technological change in the shifting energy landscape, is a challenge shared by utility executives.

CutlerMerz’ Energy Networks Practice provides a comprehensive range of services to support the executives and managers responsible for delivering results in this time of change. We do this by providing analysis, insight and practical advice on Regulation, Asset Management, Safety/Audit, and Connections.

Though it presents itself in many forms, we believe any strategic exercise is most valuable to our clients if it aims to align a top-down market outcome, with a bottom-up activity-based solution. The uniqueness of our offering in this area is supported by our in-house models which leverage operational practices of energy market participants around the nation to separate optimal practices from sub-optimal activities. Furthermore, our involvement in forming the regulatory landscape for power and energy organisations at both federal and state levels enables us to pressure test organisational outputs against expected responses from regulators.

The energy industry is constantly innovating which means that, more than ever, our expertise in coordinating an understanding of industry perspectives through engagement, developing holistic frameworks in-line with industry best practices, and our capabilities to enable transformation of business processes are vital to facilitating this change.

Large scale renewable energy connections require special insight into the Network Service Provider’s connection process. We have a unique perspective in this regard given our involvement in shaping the transmission network connections processes for many Australian transmission service providers in recent years.

Our insight into the electricity network connection processes builds on engagements over the last 10 years, which include the review of connection processes, the review of network access arrangements, the review of technical rules as they relate to the connection of renewable generation, the preparation of connection enquiries, connection applications, and negotiations to achieve a connection agreement.

Our understanding is underpinned by our extensive experience working for large generation proponents connecting to both distribution and transmission networks. Furthermore, we have a thorough understanding of the regulatory framework and the national electricity rules, grounded in our electricity network planning and design background.