We are remaking the code to make obligations fit for purpose, align the code with recent changes to the National Gas Rules, and to support policy developments.
Reviewing the Gas Distribution System Code of Practice
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Issues Paper published21 March 2023
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Consultation closes4 May 2023
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Draft decisionAugust 2023
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Final decisionNovember 2023
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New code takes effectMay 2024
Overview
Remaking the Gas Distribution System Code of Practice
The Parliament of Victoria has reformed the enforcement framework that the commission operates under. As a result, our existing energy codes have transitioned to ‘codes of practice’. This means they are now subordinate legislative instruments and no longer applied only as a condition of licences or exemptions.
The purpose of this review is to remake the Gas Distribution System Code of Practice to:
- make obligations fit for purpose, allowing effective compliance monitoring and enforcement
- align the code with the national regulatory framework and remove duplication and inconsistencies, and
- support policy developments and the Victorian Government’s Gas Substitution Roadmap.
The Gas Distribution System Code of Practice
The Gas Distribution System Code of Practice sets out consumer protections and obligations gas distributors must follow in operating distribution systems in Victoria. It regulates:
- the operation of the distribution system
- connections and augmentation
- curtailment, disconnection and reconnection
- metering requirements
- life support equipment
- deemed distribution contract requirements
- customer complaint handling.
Stakeholder information session
We held an online information session on Thursday 20 April 2023.
Issues Paper
We released an Issues Paper on 21 March 2023 to seek stakeholder feedback on key issues in this review.
Stakeholders were able to provide their feedback in the form of written submissions or through responding to survey questions via Engage Victoria.
Consultation ran from 21 March to 4 May 2023.
20 stakeholders responded to our issues paper. We received 15 written submissions and 5 responses to the survey on Engage Victoria. Of these, 1 stakeholder requested their feedback to be confidential.
We have published all non-confidential submissions and survey responses in the resources tab of this page. If you made a confidential submission but would like to make your submission public, please email energyreform@esc.vic.gov.au.
Feedback on the consultation paper closed on 4 May 2023.