The Essential Services Commission has issued a Draft Decision aimed at improving protection for small-scale energy networks.
The Draft Decision is part of the Commission’s review of the effectiveness of the small-scale energy consumer protection framework, which applies to around 5,500 customers located in regional and remote areas of the State.
The framework provides protections around standards, terms and conditions, customer service, dispute resolution, billing, payment assistance, disconnection and restoration of supply obligations.
It also includes consumer protections for the use of prepayment metering systems.
The main proposals in the Draft Decision include improving clarity and consistency in small-scale gas and electricity consumer protections by moving detailed obligations from individual electricity licences to an industry code and expanding the coverage of the current Reticulated LPG Industry Code.
The Draft Decision also removes minor differences between the retail consumer protections for small-scale electricity and gas where there is no clear reason for the difference.
It aligns hardship and disconnection protections with those in the National Energy Customer Framework and updates the Prepayment Meter System Code to reflect the significant technological improvements in metering systems since the code was introduced in 2005
Feedback closes on 30 September and the 22-page Draft Decision can be accessed at this PS News link.
