Penalty notices
29 June 2021
Simply Energy penalty notices 2021 (explicit informed consent)
(pdf, 1.73 MB)
Further information
Simply Energy has paid penalties totalling $2.5 million after two external door-to-door sales agents allegedly used phoney accents and fake names to switch hundreds of customers to new energy contracts without their consent.
The Essential Services Commission issued 125 penalty notices to Simply Energy after the agents allegedly impersonated customers consenting to the switch in phone calls to the company.
In September 2007, the Minister for Roads and Ports directed us, under section 186 (i) of the Transport (Compliance and MIscellaneous) Act 1983, to undertake an independent review of taxi-cab fares in Victoria. We submitted a final report to the Victorian Government in September 2008.
… introduction of cold room activity from 17 august 2021, cold room activity (activity 43) commences under the victorian energy upgrades (veu) . breadcrumb home introduction of cold room activity 16 august 2021 the department of environment, land, water and planning has released updated regulations and specifications which provides for the commencement of a new cold room activity under the veu program from 17 august 2021
17 August 2021
Updates to product application guide for solar or heat pump water heaters
We have released an updated Water heating and space heating/cooling product application guide to clarify and update the following requirements:
Clarification/update
Our review of payment difficulty framework focuses on evaluating the implementation of the framework in meeting its objectives, relying on direct customer experiences, and data and information relating to the implementation of the framework. We have released our findings from the review. We found that the payment difficulty framework helps Victorian energy consumers manage their energy costs but that retailers can do more.
What is the payment difficulty framework?
Victoria’s energy regulator is reviewing the effectiveness of the safety net designed to help anyone struggling to pay their energy bills to see how well it’s working to protect customers.
… consultation on decommissioning wood-fired room heaters (as baseline for veu activities 9 and 10) we consulted on changes to our requirements and product criteria in relation to water heating and space heating activities under the victorian energy upgrades program. breadcrumb home consultation commenced 17 september 2021 2021-09-16 consultation closed 30 september 2021 2021-09-30 consultation outcomes communicated 11 november … what other decommissioning methods might allow wood-fired
The number of households needing help with water bills has hit a new peak as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to be felt across the state.
New data from the Essential Services Commission shows the number of metropolitan customers being given hardship grants in February was higher than at any other time over the past year.
The commission’s water director Marcus Crudden says just under 200 metropolitan customers were awarded hardship grants each week in February.
… changes to building based lighting upgrade (activity 34) and abn/acn evidence requirements our activity guides have been updated to reflect changes to victorian energy upgrades (veu) specifications 2018 and abn/acn evidence requirements for non-residential and ‘business’ activities. breadcrumb home changes to building based lighting upgrade … with illuminance between 481 lx and 540 lx and updated space type wording. activity 34: non-j6 upgrade
… such an approach would not be consistent with the health and safety provisions of the electricity distribution code. gas and electricity customers should be treated similarly. the victorian payment difficulty framework under victoria’s energy retail code customers are protected from disconnections or being forced to deal with external debt collectors if they owe less than $300 or are on a payment plan. retailers are required to help customers who are worried about paying their bills by
… lamps and our feedback in october 2020, we advised that we planned to remove lower wattage variants (lamps with lower lcps) of switchable lamps from the veu register of products . these were incorrectly applied for and published at multiple power settings for some lighting products. we consulted our stakeholders twice last year to seek feedback on this matter. summary of submissions received we received several formal submissions, which covered four main themes: supporting the veus
Victorian Big Battery Pty Ltd (ACN 644 584 421) applied for a licence to generate electricity for supply or sale, and to sell electricity by wholesale under section 18 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic).The applicant proposed to generate electricity at the Victorian Big Battery located next to the existing Moorabool Terminal Station in Moorabool, approximately 13km North West of Geelong, in South Western Victoria. Consultation on the licence application
On 15 April 2021, Amber Electric Pty Ltd (ACN 632 603 805) applied for a licence to sell electricity by retail under section 18 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic).
Consultation on the licence application closed on 13 May 2021. We did not receive any submissions.
We granted the licence on 16 June 2021.
A year on from the first lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Victoria’s water businesses continue to provide additional support to customers, with regional customers particularly hard hit.
… changes to evidentiary requirements for low flow shower roses (activity 17) we have updated the evidence required for low flow shower roses (activity 17 in the victorian energy upgrades program) and the revised the space conditioning, shower rose and incandescent lighting activity guide. breadcrumb home changes to evidentiary requirements for low flow shower roses (activity 17) 29 april 2021 changes to low flow shower roses (
The state’s energy regulator has kicked off its next review of the Victorian Default Offer and is seeking feedback from consumers and the energy industry before issuing a decision later this year.
The Essential Services Commission today released a consultation paper setting out its proposed approach to setting the default offer price from 1 January 2022.
… cap on council rates benefits ratepayers while sector remains in good financial health 20 may 2021 a report on victoria's council rate capping system has found ratepayers on the whole are benefitting while councils were in a good place financially to respond to the initial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. the essential services commission’s report found that rate caps cut the average annual increase above inflation to zero per cent. the report
Maximum fares levels remained unchanged in this review. However, we updated the mechanism for determining the airport rank fee that taxi drivers may charge passengers.
In October 2016, we released Updating the Schedule of Maximum Taxi Fares Document: Final Decision.
We don't determine what Melbourne Airport charges taxi drivers
While we determine how much taxi drivers can charge customers, we don't determine what Melbourne Airport charges taxi drivers for collecting
A case involving an alleged attempt to defraud Australia’s biggest energy efficiency certificate scheme will be referred to police by Victoria’s Essential Services Commission.
The attempted fraud came to light when an eagle-eyed member of the public tipped us off that some electricians were faking the before-photographs to inflate the benefits of lighting upgrades in farm sheds in regional Victoria.