Growing Plant Complexity Makes Compliance Monitoring More Critical Than Ever
Australia's energy transition is accelerating. More renewable generators are connecting to the NEM, and with increasing regulatory focus, projects are no longer set and forget. The AER has explicitly stated that GPS compliance is a key enforcement priority, with recent penalties reaching $9 million.
Traditionally, compliance monitoring has been ad hoc – conducted by external consultants with quarterly or annual assessments. But this reactive approach creates unnecessary risk exposure:
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Delayed Issue Detection - Problems identified months after they occur
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Incomplete Monitoring - Manual assessments miss events between review periods
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Resource Intensive - Engineering time spent on routine compliance checks
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Knowledge Silos - Critical plant information scattered across systems and personnel
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Audit Challenges - Difficult to demonstrate continuous compliance when requested
The grid is changing rapidly with new technologies. We don't yet know how it will perform, but we'll do everything to monitor plant performance so operators can make good engineering decisions to maintain system stability.
COMET moves grid compliance from once every 24 months to once every 24 hours
You can't outsource GPS compliance – but you can transform how you monitor it.
COMET is Australia's most advanced technical compliance monitoring platform, providing near real-time visibility into your renewable generation assets' performance against Generator Performance Standards.
How COMET works (4 Step Process)
Configure Your Compliance Framework
VeriConneX's power systems engineers review your registered GPS and Generator Compliance Program, then configure COMET to monitor the specific clauses and requirements relevant to your asset. We digitize your performance standards and create automated assessment workflows.
Continuous Data Integration
COMET aggregates high-speed metering data from your connection point and generating units, combined with SCADA and market data. Near real-time data flows into the COMET cloud, typically with one-day lag, providing comprehensive visibility into plant performance.
Intelligent Event Identification
Advanced algorithms continuously analyze incoming data to identify power system events that require assessment – voltage disturbances, frequency deviations, contingency responses, and other GPS-relevant triggers. Every relevant event is captured and stored for compliance evaluation.
Automated Compliance Assessment
For each identified event, COMET's assessment engine evaluates your plant's response against registered GPS requirements. Dynamic performance metrics like rise times, settling times, and control responses are automatically calculated. Expert engineers review complex events and provide technical commentary through the platform's integrated workflow.
From Reactive Compliance to Proactive Risk Management
Reduce Compliance Risk
Near Real-Time Monitoring
Identify potential GPS non-compliance issues before they become reportable breaches. COMET's continuous monitoring means you know about problems within 24 hours, not 24 months.
Proactive Issue Prevention
Early detection allows corrective action before violations escalate. Address control system issues, equipment degradation, or configuration problems while they're still manageable.
Audit-Ready Documentation
Every compliance event is automatically documented with supporting data, assessment results, and resolution tracking. AER audits become straightforward with comprehensive evidence readily available.
Lower Operational Costs
Reduce Manual Assessments
Automate routine compliance checking that traditionally required external consultants. Your engineering team focuses on high-value activities rather than repetitive compliance administration.
Prevent Costly Violations
AER penalties now reach $10 million for serious GPS breaches. COMET's early warning system helps you avoid these financial and reputational consequences.
Optimise Maintenance Planning
Performance trend analysis identifies degradation patterns early, allowing planned maintenance rather than emergency repairs during compliance events.
Streamline Operations
Centralised Information
Single source of truth for all compliance activities across your portfolio. No more scattered spreadsheets, email chains, or inconsistent documentation practices.
Knowledge Transfer Support
Platform-based compliance management preserves institutional knowledge when personnel changes occur. New team members gain immediate access to complete compliance history.
Portfolio Visibility
If you manage multiple assets, COMET provides unified dashboard showing compliance status across your entire generation portfolio.
COMET Services
Continuous GPS Compliance
Continuous compliance results in Asset manager's peace of mind. Any potential non-compliances are identified and assessed as they occur during asset operation. This significantly reduces the risk that plant issues result in action from the AER or AEMO.
Plant Commissioning GPS Analysis
Monitoring generator performance during the commissioning process compliments testing activities during defined testing windows creating:
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The opportunity to identify, analyse and resolve potential GPS compliance issues before they become apparent in hold point testing;
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The ability to share evidence to the NSP to provide increased confidence in the plant's performance.
Historic GPS Compliance Analysis
A Plant's GCP requires the Asset Owner to demonstrate compliance Leveraging the COMET Platform, VeriConneX works with asset owners to identify and analyse historic plant performance.
Built for Critical Infrastructure
AESCSF Compliance
As renewable energy assets increasingly qualify as critical infrastructure under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOCI) 2018, asset owners face stringent cybersecurity obligations.
COMET is designed to meet these requirements, providing enterprise-grade security appropriate for managing sensitive operational data from Australia's generation and storage assets.
VeriConneX understands that compliance isn't just about ticking boxes—it's about implementing robust security practices that genuinely protect your operational data while meeting regulatory obligations.
GPS Compliance: Essential Insights
AER Clause 4.15 vs. AEMO GPS Compliance: Know the Critical Differences
The AER has made GPS compliance a priority enforcement area for 2024-25. But do you understand the distinction between NER Clause 4.15 process compliance and actual GPS technical performance? This whitepaper clarifies the two frameworks, their different enforcement mechanisms, and what generators must do to manage compliance risks effectively.
The Real Cost of Non-Compliance: Up to $10M in Penalties
Civil penalties for GPS breaches can reach $10 million, but financial penalties are just the beginning. Operational constraints, market suspension, and reputational damage can follow. This whitepaper examines the regulatory framework, recent enforcement actions including the $9M Callide penalty, and practical strategies for proactive compliance management.
Transform Compliance from Reactive to Proactive with COMET
Traditional compliance practices—manual, fragmented, and ad hoc—can't keep pace with modern regulatory demands. Discover how VeriConneX's COMET platform automates near real-time compliance monitoring for 1.5+ GW of Australian renewable assets. Learn how leading asset owners are moving from compliance checks every 24 months to checks every 24 hours.