Australian Government has launched public consultation on draft regulations for the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (OEI) framework, which will enable the development of offshore electricity infrastructure, including offshore wind and electricity transmission projects, in Commonwealth waters.

The country’s first OEI framework is enabled by legislation introduced in late 2021, when Australia’s Parliament endorsed a package of new laws, including the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021 which allows the government to designate areas in Commonwealth waters and the accompanying Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Regulatory Levies) Bill 2021 which allows for the imposition of levies on regulated entities to recover the regulatory costs.