Input sought on hydrogen ready updates to NSW Gas Supply Act
The NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change is seeking feedback on changes to gas regulations to support the NSW Hydrogen Strategy
In NSW, the safety of gas users in NSW is promoted and protected through the Gas Supply Act 1996.
The current Regulation will be repealed on 1 September 2022. Consultation on the remaking of the Regulation that support this Act lets the NSW Government consider public input on how to improve, modernise and streamline the laws so they continue to work effectively.
The proposed Regulation keeps many of the existing rules to ensure the safety of the gas network but are updated to support the NSW Hydrogen Strategy. The Hydrogen Strategy supports the development of a commercial hydrogen industry in NSW.
Hydrogen and other renewable gases have emerged as critical new industries; their entry will form a key part of the state’s economic growth as well as helping it achieve its decarbonisation objectives. The draft Regulation supports the Hydrogen Strategy by including requirements that ensure the safe injection of hydrogen–natural gas blends within the distribution network.
The key changes include introducing:
- new reporting and approval requirements for injection points aimed at ensuring gas quality is maintained after renewable gas blends are injected.
- new reporting requirements to report incidents of venting, flaring and variations in network pressure associated
- clarifications around the testing of gas
- updates to modernise the penalties within the regulation, in accordance with the penalty units introduced in the recently enacted Energy Legislation Amendment Act 2021.
The public is invited to comment on the draft Regulatory Impact Statement and the content and provisions of the Gas Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2022.
