As our city transitions towards our low emissions future, the way we consume and use energy is changing.

Rooftop solar is now a large part of how the ACT and the NSW region generates electricity, providing cheap and clean energy.

On very rare occasions, excess electricity from rooftop solar can lead to system security challenges, which can make the electricity grid unstable.

To address this, the creation of an emergency backstop capability is now a national requirement, with other jurisdictions like Victoria and South Australia already having this capability in place.

The ACT Government is consulting to inform the design of a local regulatory framework for emergency backstop capability here in the ACT.

This capability assists electricity network operators to manage excess electricity produced by rooftop solar during emergency periods as a last resort.

A priority of the ACT Government’s Integrated Energy Plan is to progress reforms, both locally and with other states and territories, to ensure the secure, affordable and reliable operation of our electricity grid and the national grid as it transforms.

This consultation sought feedback from the community and stakeholders on:

• The proposed approach and technical design of the emergency backstop capability in the ACT.
• Community perspectives on technology such as solar, batteries and evolving technologies such as Home Energy Management Systems and electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with bi-directional charging.
• What information and education opportunities there are for government to assist Canberrans to help improve their energy use and lower bills using these technologies.

Your feedback will inform the ACT’s strategy for managing high levels of rooftop solar so that we can continue to benefit from this clean, affordable and abundant power source.

The consultation was open from 17 March – 28 April 2025.

Government will now use your input to inform the final regulation, framework and other associated materials for energy consumers. It is anticipated that the solar backstop regulation will be live in the ACT during the 2025 calendar year.

Feedback was provided through an online survey (15 – 20 minutes), quick comments, and written submissions.