If you live in an apartment complex, retirement home, or caravan park, or a tenant in a shopping centre, you may get your electricity via an embedded electricity network.
Information for embedded electricity network customers
Update for Veeve Energy customers
On 12 May 2021, the Supreme Court of Victoria ordered that Veeve Energy Pty Ltd and Veeve Buying Group Pty Ltd (Veeve) be wound up and appointed a liquidator. If you have a query about your Veeve account, or if you are an embedded network in a contract with Veeve, please contact the liquidator directly:
BRI Ferrier (David Coyne/Joshua May)
Phone: 03 9622 1800
Email: info@brifvic.com.au
Address: PO Box 521, Collins Street West VIC 8007Please note that Veeve is no longer a member of the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)’s dispute resolution scheme. Therefore, they are unable to take complaints about Veeve.
What is an embedded network?
An embedded network is where electricity is supplied to an area or building through a privately owned and managed supplier and not a licenced retailer.
If you are on an embedded network, you may not be able to choose your electricity supplier, but you still have rights.
You can check if you’re in an embedded network by looking on our public register.
The amount you can be charged for your electricity is capped. The maximum price for embedded networks is the Victorian Default Offer, which we set annually.
If you can’t resolve a dispute with your embedded network, you can make a complaint with the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) online www.ewov.com.au or phone 1800 500 509 (freecall).
Payment difficulties
If you’re struggling to pay your bills, there is help available. Speak to your energy provider about their options for you if you are experiencing payment difficulties.
What are my rights and protections?
As an embedded network customer, there are a number of codes and policies in place to make sure you are protected.
Our Energy Retail Code protects customers in embedded networks. It provided customers in embedded networks with similar protections to other Victorian electricity customers.
The code sets out the following:
- the person who sells/supplies your electricity, must get your explicit and informed consent before you become an embedded network customer, clearly telling you how much you will be paying and any terms or conditions
- suppliers must provide certain information in writing
- billing requirements, including information on bills, basis for bills, frequency of bills, payment methods, undercharging/overcharging, additional retail charges and merchant fees are explained
- payment difficulties assistance and payment plan options
- restrictions on debt recovery for residential customers experiencing payment difficulties
- a prohibition on security deposits for residential customers
- general information about interpreter services
- provision of information to customers
- reminder notice and disconnection warning notice requirements
- disconnection and reconnection requirements
- life support equipment requirements.
There are also customer protections in our Electricity Distribution Code that embedded network providers must comply with. These include:
- notifying customers of planned outages
- life support obligations
- voltage standards
- complaints and dispute resolution
- disconnections and reconnection requirements.
Embedded network register
Majority of people selling/supplying electricity through an embedded network need to be registered with us for an electricity licensing exception. You can search for your address to see if you’re on an embedded network.
Network not registered?
Notify us about embedded networks that may not be registered. If your apartment building or shopping centre has 10 or more residences/tenants and you believe your electricity is supplied by an embedded network not on the register, contact us at exemptionregister@esc.vic.gov.au.
Reporting a potential non-registration is anonymous, no identifiable details are provided when we contact the embedded network seller or supplier.
All caravan parks, holiday parks, residential land lease parks, manufactured home estates and retirement villages with an embedded network must register with us, regardless of how many customers reside at the site.
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