SCADA Lite

Background

The evolving and transitional NEM market will involve several new non-NSP (Network Service Provider) participants in addition to the already existing traditional ones (such as NSPs and Generators).

It has been onerous for these non-NSP participants to establish a telemetry connection with AEMO using the ICCP (Inter-control Centre Communications Protocol) protocol that AEMO currently supports.

SCADA Lite solution will deliver the requirements defined in both the WDR Guidelines (Version 1.0, Effective Date: 24 June 2021) and Power System Data Communication Standard (Version 3.0, Effective Date: 3 April 2023).

The SCADA Lite initiative offers a range of benefits to market stakeholders, consumers and AEMO, including:

• Enable non-NSP participants of the NEM to exchange operational information (telemetry and control) with AEMO.
• Provide greater visibility and operational control of network generation and ancillary service resources.
• Encourage greater market participation of renewable energy sources into the market.
• Lower barrier to entry into the market for NEM non-NSP participants.
• Market participation will provide NEM non-NSP Participants access to additional revenue streams.
• Greater opportunity for consumer distributed energy resources to participate in the NEM through dispatch or load management contracts by upstream aggregators.

Scope

SCADA Lite will enable NEM non-NSP participants to establish a bi-directional connection to exchange operational information (telemetry and control) with AEMO.

The solution will support both cloud-hosted (major Australian cloud providers) and physical infrastructure based non-NSP Participant Intervening Facilities (endpoints).

The protocols supported will be ICCP, as well as the Secure DNP3.0 protocol (agreed with the industry participants through the Power System Data Communication Standard consultation) to establish this connection.

The solution is for the below enlisted NEM participants that are not able to exchange operational (telemetry and control) information with AEMO via an NSP (Network Service Provider):

• Demand Response Service Providers (DRSPs)
• VPPs (Virtual Power Plants)
• SGAs (Small Generation Aggregators)
• Operators of remote grid scale assets (e.g. solar and wind farms)

Industry engagement

This initiative forms part of NEM Reform Program and market participants can get involved by visiting:

Further information

For further information please contact NEMReform@aemo.com.au.