PIAC made a submission to the NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change’s Draft Gas Supply Regulation 2022 (the Draft) and associated Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). The Draft sought to remake the regulation to support the development of a commercial hydrogen industry in NSW, with a focus on the injection of hydrogen gas blends within the gas distribution network.
PIAC strongly opposed the proposal on the basis that the blending of hydrogen in gas networks is not in the interests of consumers. We highlighted substantial concerns regarding the climate costs, health and safety impacts on consumers of the proposal.
We recommended that remade regulations address the existing climate, safety, health and efficiency issues with gas supply through networks in NSW.
- Limiting of fugitive methane emissions from gas networks through
- measures to proactively identify and address leakage from networks and ensure transparent monitoring and reporting of leakage
- measures to address and minimise venting and flaring
- greater transparency of reporting and monitoring of gas composition and quality
- efficient and accessible processes for disconnection and decommissioning of gas connections
- transparent reporting of local network utilisation, monitoring the number and location of actively metered connections in NSW
