Simply Energy pays penalty for alleged wrongful disconnection
On 13 August 2021, the Essential Services Commission (Victoria) served a penalty notice on IPower 2 Pty Limited and IPower Pty Limited (trading as Simply Energy). The Penalty notice can be viewed here.
Getting Serious: The Peak Demand Reduction Scheme
The First PDR Initiatives:
– There will be incentives (rebates) for households to purchase and install energy efficient air conditioners (rebates for businesses ACs have been available for some time via other schemes);
– Businesses with EV fleets will be able to export power from their parked vehicles back in to the grid at peak times.
The two initiatives above were cited as examples in the press release on 28 September 2021. There is very little information available as to what other initiatives will be forthcoming.
Alinta Energy improves systems and waives more than $1 million in customer debt following an AER investigation.
On 8 October 2021, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) announced that, in response to an investigation, Alinta Energy have substantially improved its systems and was
An Alternative to Compliance by Coercion
Alternatives to penalties are provided by the behavioural sciences, including command and control and economic instruments such as ‘nudging.’ The underlying concept is to create an environment in which individuals make choices based on nudges towards the desired state. This area is well-developed thanks to the advertising industry and, in the context of compliance, is considered to be ‘at the forefront of regulatory policy and governance.’
AER Life Support Registration Guide – A Good Reminder
On 1 August 2021, the new obligations regarding life support came into effect. These obligations were made pursuant to a rule change published by the
ESC Review of the Payment Difficulty Framework
In January 2019, the payment difficulty framework commenced in Victoria to ensure that disconnection for non-payment is a last resort and that vulnerable customers are