Draft Decision Signals Stronger Consumer Protections for Small-Scale Energy Customers
Late last year, the Essential Services Commission of South Australia (Commission) released its Draft Decision on improving consumer protections for small-scale energy network customers. The decision applies in relation to small-scale energy networks regulated exclusively by the Commission. There are approximately 11,000 customers in these networks in remote and regional South Australia. The Commission's final decision is likely to be made in the coming weeks. The Draft Decision proposes several amendments to strengthen existing protections, increase consistency across the electricity and gas sectors, and better align certain protections with the National Energy Customer Framework. The proposed changes aim to "protect the long-term interests of South Australian consumers with respect to the price, quality and reliability of essential services.” Key proposals include: Establishing a Small-scale Electricity Networks Code and renaming the…