Annex B 4.1: Develop Architecture for Cross-Border Electricity Trade

Area of Cooperation

Cross-Border Electricity Trade

Purpose

To develop best-practice bilateral electricity trade architecture to facilitate trade and investment, provide clarity and predictability for companies, investors and other actors looking to participate in this future market, and enhance regional energy connectivity.

Description

Singapore and Australia will establish a joint working group to:

• Identify issues for inclusion in the cross-border electricity trade architecture between Singapore and Australia, and to enhance regional energy connectivity;
• Build on existing arrangements (including free trade agreements) of relevance, and, to the extent necessary, develop new arrangements to form the architecture for cross-border electricity trade between the two countries;
• Bring together relevant technical and policy experts for information sharing on bilateral electricity trade, and to enhance regional energy connectivity.

Structure and meetings of the joint working group

• The joint working group will be co-chaired by an official from Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry and an official from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Each side can invite relevant officials from across their government to attend joint working group meetings. 
• The joint working group will meet every quarter (or more frequently as needed).
• Senior officials will also chair at least one joint working group per year. The senior officials meeting will provide direction to the joint working group on priorities and the forward work program.
• The joint working group will report at least annually on progress to both the GEA Action Team (GAT) and the annual Deputy Secretary (DS) level dialogue for the MOU for Cooperation on Low-Emissions Solutions.

Duration

• The joint working group will hold its first senior officials chaired meeting in December 2022, after the GEA is signed on 18 October 2022.
• Further meetings will then take place as determined by Singapore and Australia.
• The joint working group will be dissolved when the two co-Chairs of the joint working group decide its purpose has been met.

Project Leads

Singapore

Ministry of Trade and Industry, with participation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Climate Change Secretariat, Energy Market Authority, and other agencies as appropriate.

Australia

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with participation from Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and other agencies as appropriate.