RESTRUCTURING THE STATE ENERGY COMMISSION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
In the “WA Advantage” statement of February 1992, the Western Australian premier announced restructuring proposals for the State Energy Commission of Western Australia (SECWA). The Dampier‐Perth natural gas pipeline will be taken out of SECWA and operated by an independent authority on an open access basis. SECWA will also withdraw from the Pilbara region to be replaced by a Pilbara Electricity and Gas Authority. To be considered by the Carnegie Commission are proposals for the separation of electricity and gas operations and, within electricity operations, separation into generation, transmission, distribution and supply functions. The rationale for these policy changes is an attempt to introduce competition into these sectors of the energy market to improve efficiency and reduce the disparities in energy costs between Western Australia and the other Australian states. If carried out to their full extent, the proposals for SECWA will amount to the most comprehensive restructuring of a publicly owned energy utility in Australia.