The Independent Market Operator (IMO) was established in Western Australia in December 2004 after a government initiative to privatise the electricity industry and open the market up to wider competition. The market, referred to as the WEM (Wholesale Electricity Market), commenced on 21 September 2006.
The IMO is an independent organisation, funded by industry, whose role is to administer and operate the WEM and ensure there is adequate capacity to meet the demand of Western Australian consumers within the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), which extends from Kalbarri in the north, to Kalgoorlie in the east, to Albany in the South.
The WEM is essential for genuine competition to exist and grow, at a wholesale level, between suppliers and consumers of electricity in the SWIS.
IMO's key responsibilities are:
- operating the WEM (which includes the financial transactions between all parties involved in generating, transporting and retailing electricity);
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facilitating the provision of sufficient generation capacity and demand side management to meet expected load; and
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administering the Market Rules (the set of rules that govern the market and the operation of the SWIS including the wholesale sale and purchase of electricity, Reserve Capacity and Ancillary Services).
Graphs - Energy Market Data
- Neartime Chart
- Trading Day Stem Quantity/Price and Load Forecast
- Trading Day Balancing Prices and Quantities
- IMO Weekly Report
