About the IMO

The Independent Market Operator (IMO) is an industry-funded organisation whose role is to operate and develop the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) and the Gas Information Services Project (GISP) in Western Australia.

The WEM operates in the South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) which serves most of WA's population of more than 2 million, with a summer peak demand of 4000MW.

Our job is to:

ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet demand from WA consumers via the Reserve Capacity Mechanism,
facilitate competition between power generators and retailers,
encourage private sector investment in power generation and retailing, and
support the development of sustainable technologies.

Functions of the IMO

Our functions are defined in several documents:

Wholesale Electricity Market Rules ("Market Rules") (see clause 2.1.2)
Electricity Industry (Wholesale Electricity Market) Regulations 2004
Electricity Industry (Independent Market Operator) Regulations 2004

Strategic Objectives

We aim to achieve our objectives across all aspects of the business:

Operating the Market

The IMO operates reliable and efficient markets with integrity and transparency.

Developing the Market

The IMO leads short term improvement and supports long term evolution of the Market using robust analysis, objective reasoning and consultation.

Building Strong Relationships

The IMO develops enduring relationships with customers and stakeholders based on trust and open communication.

Financial Responsibility

All financial transactions have prudent governance oversight. IMO expenditure is cost efficient.

Skills and Resources

The IMO has the skills and resources to operate professionally and meet stakeholders’ expectations.