Scheme Participants are legally required to participate in the PDRS. They must surrender Peak Reduction Certificates (PRCs) to meet an annual individual certificate target from 1 November 2022.
Clause 83(3) of Schedule 4A to the Electricity Supply Act 1995 sets out who is required to participate in the PDRS as a Scheme Participant. This includes:
- retailers
- direct suppliers of electricity specifically named in the regulations
- market customers that purchase electricity directly from the National Electricity Market.
Retailers
A retailer is a person who holds a retailer authorisation issued under the National Energy Retail Law (NSW).
Direct suppliers
A direct supplier of electricity is a generator or other person specified in the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014 who supplies electricity directly to a customer.
Market customers
A market customer is a customer that has classified any of its electricity loads as a market load and is registered with the Australian Energy Market Operator as a market customer under the National Electricity Rules (within the meaning of the National Electricity (NSW) Law). That is, they are a large energy customer that purchases electricity directly from the National Electricity Market.
The List of Scheme Participants page lists Scheme Participants for the ESS Compliance period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021.
Exemptions
The Minister can grant a full or partial exemption for electricity loads used for some emissions intensive and trade exposed energy activities, or to produce green hydrogen. The Liable acquisitions and exempt loads page provides more details.