Commissioner Merryn York to depart AEMC

On 16 February, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) announced that its commissioner, Merryn York, will end her tenure at the AEMC to commence a new role as Executive General Manager, System Design, at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Leading the System Design team at AEMO, York will oversee the planning, forecasting, analytics and design of the energy systems of the future.

Speaking for the commission, AEMC and ESB Chair Anna Collyer praised York’s valuable expertise and dedication to her role as AEMC commissioner over the last two and a half years.

“During her time at the AEMC Merryn championed a secure, reliable and affordable power system to deliver the best possible customer outcomes. With a focus on engineering, Merryn improved our preparedness for a change in generation as we move closer toward a renewable energy future,” Collyer said.

“The commission thanks Merryn for her unwavering commitment to her role as commissioner and her contribution to the energy industry more broadly.”

AEMC Chief Executive Benn Barr said the commission owed York a debt of gratitude for her instrumental work throughout her time at the AEMC.

“Merryn has made a significant contribution to the commission. Her practical focus on getting rule changes that deliver for consumers can be seen through recent reforms including the system strength framework, distributed energy resources access and pricing, and across our essential system services work streams,” Barr said.

To manage any potential conflicts of interest, York will absent herself from the AEMC’s decision-making in relation to all current AEMC rule changes, reviews and advices.