By Anne Wardell, Compliance Quarter.
AER Reporting procedures – The Australian Energy Regulator has released an updated AER (Retail Law) Performance Reporting Procedures and Guidelines April 2018.
The revised Guidelines require retailers to report additional data to the AER, including:
- Further detail about the retail market and market structure (particularly regarding customer contracts);
- Information on the rollout of smart meters as a result of the metering contestability regime which commenced on 1 December 2017; and
- Further information about customers experiencing payment difficulties (including in relation to payment plans, hardship programs, and referrals to credit collection agencies).
In order to allow retailers to make the necessary system changes required to capture the new information, the commencement date for the first new report was moved back six months to 1 January 2019, or the commencement of Quarter 3 of 2018/19.
The key amendments are as follows:
- Timeframes for reporting;
- Two new indicators introduced;
- The frequency of reporting data for indicators; and
- Formatting and number changes.
Timeframes for reporting
Quarter 4 and Annual report data will be required to be submitted no later than 31 July each year. This is a change from the current deadline of 31 August each year.
Two new indicators introduced
The new indicators are:
- the number of customers who moved from market to standard contracts during the period; and
- the number of complaints made about a smart meter installation delay.
The frequency of reporting data for indicators
‘In order to streamline the reporting process, for the benefit of the retailers, we have removed the need for retailers to provide monthly data. These indicators now require
data be reported on a quarterly basis. The indicators impacted by this are:
- Number of customers disconnected for non-payment;
- Number of customers reconnected within 7 days of disconnection; and
- Number of customers on a hardship program.
Three indicators that had yearly reportable data requirements have been changed to quarterly. This will bring these indicators in line with others, and assist in creating more
efficient and consistent retailer reporting processes. These indicators are:
- Number of energy concession customers;
- Number of residential customers who successfully completed their payment plan; and
- Number of residential customers using Centrepay’ (at pp 5-6 of the Final Instrument: AER (Retail) Performance Reporting Procedures & Guidelines).
Formatting and number changes
The existing indicators have been reformatted and renumbered. It will, therefore, be important to check the new numbers against any automated reporting system currently operating and amend the numbers.
For any questions, please contact the team at Compliance Quarter by clicking here.
