Profile: Head of Trading & Analytics, Tom Gregg

 

CS Energy generates and sells electricity in the National Electricity Market (NEM) where we have a trading portfolio of more than 3,500 megawatts.

The NEM is a wholesale electricity market in which generators sell electricity and retailers buy it to on-sell to consumers. It one of the most highly regulated and competitive markets in the world.

As Head of Trading & Analytics, Tom Gregg formulates CS Energy’s trading and risk management strategies in the NEM and provides commercial analysis for a range of revenue-related business activities. It’s a key strategic role in the financial performance of the company and involves leading a diverse team of Trading and Analytics professionals.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

A typical day for me is working directly with my managers and the team as we manage CS Energy’s assets in the physical market, contract our forward position in the financial markets and a range of other activities undertaken by the analytics team.

You began your career as an accountant before switching to energy trading about 15 years ago. What do you find most interesting about working in the wholesale energy market?

I really enjoyed the move into trading after a background in accounting, then a year in risk, earlier in my career.

The NEM operates 24/7 and is highly dynamic. There is always something different happening in the market each day and your trading portfolio moves around as well. Energy markets are complex so there is always an area that’s new and another problem to solve.

How is CS Energy’s portfolio evolving in the NEM?

Our portfolio has changed significantly over the past five years, with CS Energy growing its renewable energy offtakes significantly in response to customers’ needs and investing in exciting new technology like green hydrogen and grid-scale batteries.

At the same time, we manage our existing baseload coal-fired assets, which we need to ensure are available when the market needs them the most in the morning and evening peak demand periods.

The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan was a green light for CS Energy to take a greater role in the energy transformation through both further development of renewable energy as well as the firming assets that are required to support them to ensure 24 x 7 supply, the first being the Chinchilla Battery which is due online at the end of this year.