Management plans
An Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (OEI) Act management plan is an integrated risk management document that describes operational aspects of offshore renewables projects.
Management plans should be developed in consultation with stakeholders and set out how a licence holder proposes to manage work health and safety, infrastructure integrity and environmental management risks associated with activities proposed to be carried out under an OEI Act licence.
A licence holder must have a management plan approved by the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator (OIR) before activities involving the construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance or decommissioning of offshore renewable energy infrastructure or offshore electricity transmission infrastructure can proceed.
A management plan is a legally enforceable document under the OEI Act framework and provides a basis for the OIR to monitor ongoing compliance.
Section 115 of the OEI Act provides some high-level detail on the aspects that a management plan must address and what the regulations (referred to in the Act as the licensing scheme) may cover.
Management plan content requirements and the criteria for approval are contingent on finalisation of the OEI Amendment Regulations. These regulations are currently being developed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water as the responsible policy agency.