Electricity Commission announces appointments

Electricity Commission announces appointments

Roy Hemmingway, Chair of the Electricity Commission, has announced that the five members of the Rulings Panel are Neville Young (Chair), John Isles, John O’Sullivan, Craig Taylor and Gael Webster.

Mr Hemmingway said, “The Rulings Panel has a key role in ensuring the integrity of the New Zealand electricity market. I am confident that the experience and knowledge of the five members will ensure that the Panel will quickly demonstrate its credibility and value to the market.”

The Panel will deal with formal complaints of breaches of the Electricity Governance Regulations and Rules by participants in the market. If it upholds a complaint, it has a number of options available including imposing penalties against participants, awarding costs or compensation, issuing suspension or termination orders, and recommending rule changes. It will also determine certain disputes between participants and can hear appeals on specific decisions made by the national grid operator, Transpower.

The Panel members have been appointed for terms of two to four years.

Mr Hemmingway also confirmed the membership of the six advisory groups being established by the Commission. The advisory groups will assist the Commission to develop market arrangements and recommendations on changes to the Regulations and Rules. The groups are:

Retail Market Advisory Group •

• • • • •

Wholesale Market Advisory Group

Security Advisory Group

Common Quality Advisory Group

Transmission Pricing Advisory Group

Transmission Advisory Group.

The Retail Market Advisory Group will be chaired by Bill Heaps and the Common Quality Advisory Group by Toby Stevenson. The remaining groups will be chaired on an interim basis by the responsible Senior Advisor from the Electricity Commission until a permanent appointment is made.

Mr Hemmingway said, “The advisory groups are charged with providing advice and options that reflect the views of all stakeholders, as well as being consistent with the Commission’s overall objectives for the electricity sector. As such, I particularly welcome the involvement of consumer representatives who between them represent a wide range of consumer interests.” Mr Hemmingway said that work on establishing the Hedge Market Development Steering Group will be completed soon.

The Rulings Panel members

Neville Young

Mr Young is a barrister and solicitor. He is currently the Chairman of the Earthquake Commission and has held a number of other crown appointments. Mr Young has an LLB from Canterbury University.

John Isles

Mr Isles is a consulting economist and has provided advice to a number of public sector organisations. Mr Isles has held directorships in a number of organisations including the New Zealand Apple & Pear Board, Wools of New Zealand, and Radio New Zealand. His current directorships include the Medical Assurance Group, Exicom Holdings Ltd, Woolyarns Group, Norsewear, PSIS and PrimePort Timaru Ltd. Mr Isles has an MA (Hons) from Canterbury University.

John O’Sullivan

Mr O’Sullivan has more than 35 years experience in the New Zealand electricity industry. He served as a board member of Transpower from 1991 to 1994, and is currently a board member of the New Zealand Geothermal Association. Mr O’Sullivan has a BSc in Electrical Engineering and an MSc (Nuclear Power).

Craig Taylor

Mr Taylor is a partner in Catherall Taylor Associates, a consultancy firm that specialises in the development of private sector electricity generation and energy development initiatives. Prior to that he was Director of Corporate Finance at Jarden Morgan/CS First Boston, where he was extensively involved in the New Zealand Government’s corporatisation and privatisation process. Mr Taylor has a Masters in Engineering from Canterbury University.

Gael Webster

Ms Webster has a legal background, and has a significant knowledge of consumer and competition law. She has worked in the electricity sector for five years, most recently as a consultant and conciliator with the Electricity Complaints Commission. Ms Webster has a BSc and LLB from Victoria University.

Retail Market Advisory Group:

Bill Heaps, Chair •
Keith Tempest (TrustPower)
Rob Jamieson (Orion)
John van Brink (Vector)
Phil Hawkey (NGC)
Peter Rutledge (Consumer representative)
Vince Hawkesworth (Genesis Power)
Anne Herrington (Smart Power Ltd)
Paul Doocey (Consumers Institute)
John Pask (Federated Farmers)

Wholesale Market Advisory Group:

Tim Street, Interim Chair (Electricity Commission)
Graeme Everett (Norske Skog Tasman)
Therese Thorn (TrustPower)
Doug Goodwin (Transpower)
Dean Carroll (Genesis Power)
Bruce Mason (Mighty River Power)
Steve Cross (Contact Energy)

Security Advisory Group:

Gari Bickers, Interim Chair (Electricity Commission)
Duncan Head (Vector)
Kevin Small (Transpower)
Peter Kimber (Genesis Power)
David Hunt (Contact Energy)
John Noble (Consumer representative)
Barbara Elliston (Comalco)
Ari Sargent (Meridian Energy)
Peter Whitehouse (Business New Zealand)

Common Quality Advisory Group:

Toby Stevenson, Chair
Tim Chatterton (Vector)
Bryan Leyland (Consulting Engineer)
Terrence Currie (T C Associates)
Chris Ewers (Meridian Energy)
Adam Fletcher (Mighty River Power)
John Clarke (Transpower)

Transmission Advisory Group:

Chris Graham, Interim Chair (Electricity Commission)
Peter Calderwood (TrustPower)
Tas Scott (Orion)
Bruce Girdwood (Transpower)
Malcolm Alexander (Genesis Energy)
Ross Weenink (Comalco)
Dr Tim Densem (Mighty River Power)
John Walsh (Delta Utility Services)
Dick Whitelaw (New Zealand Steel)
Guy Waipara (Transpower)

Transmission Pricing Advisory Group:

Chris Graham, Interim Chair (Electricity Commission) •
Graeme Ancell (Transpower)
Ralph Matthes (MEUG)
Simon Coates (Contact Energy)
Nevill Gluyas (Meridian Energy)
Neil Williams (Mighty River Power)
Duncan Head (Vector)
Carl Hansen (M-co)

Note: Affiliations are for identification purposes and do not indicate that a person represents that particular organization.

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