Capacity Investment Scheme NEM Generation

About the Tender

Tender 4 is a competitive process to secure an indicative target of 6 GW of renewable generation projects in the NEM.

Stage A Project Bids closed at 5pm AEDT 18 February 2025. Shortlisted Proponents were invited to Stage B – Financial Value Bid on 5 May 2025.

Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement allocations

The Australian Government has released a Market Brief on Renewable Energy Transformation Agreement allocations by jurisdiction.

The brief provides information on CIS capacity allocations by jurisdictions, agreed through RETA negotiations.  

Tender Guidelines

Read the Tender Guidelines and Capacity Investment Scheme Agreement (CISA) for complete information on the process and criteria for Tender 4.

Changes to First Nations criteria

First Nations peoples are important partners in the clean energy transition. The Australian Government is embedding strong social licence policy expectations on Proponents who receive funding support. This is to deliver positive social and economic outcomes from CIS supported Projects.

The Australian Government has strengthened expectations on Proponents to deliver positive social and economic outcomes for First Nations people in CIS Tender 3, and this is continued in Tender 4.

There are standalone First Nations Merit Criteria (one criterion for engagement, and one criterion for benefits), which will allow a considered assessment of First Nations outcomes separately to outcomes for general host communities and other social licence commitments.

Q&A process for proponents

For any general enquiries on the tender process please contact cis-tender-4@aemoservices.com.au.

To view additional tender documents please click on the Tender documents and Q&A tabs.

Market Brief

The CIS Tender 4 Market Brief provides an overview, indicative timeframes and updates to policy
positions for Tender 4.

Information in the Market Brief is superseded with the publication of the Tender Guidelines and Capacity Investment Scheme Agreement (CISA). Please refer to the Tender Guidelines.

About current and future tenders

CIS Tender 3 – NEM Dispatchable Capacity Stage B is closed with Financial Value bids being assessed.

About AEMO and AEMO Services’ Role

AEMO and AEMO Services have been engaged to support the roll-out of the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) as tender delivery partner, bringing together our expertise in energy markets, modelling and infrastructure finance and procurement. AEMO Services is conducting the competitive tender process that will enable the Australian Government to determine which projects the scheme should support.

Our work will help the Australian Government secure reliability and security in energy supply for households and businesses across Australia. We will conduct a two-stage tender process, assessing overall project merit including social licence and financial value. The Australian Government Minister for Climate Change and Energy is the ultimate decision-maker, with a short-list of Projects recommended to the Australian Government for final approval.