The Essential Services Commission establishes and maintains codes and guidelines that outline the rules for the distribution and retail sale of electricity and gas in Victoria.Some of our codes and guidelines apply to both the electricity and gas industries, while others only apply to one. You can view the current codes or previous amendments by clicking on the blue tiles below.You can also read the market performance and reporting page on this website to see how
This guidance note is no longer in force.
… guideline 11: electricity industry - voltage variation compensation (repealed) this guideline required a distributor to compensate any person whose property is damaged due to a certain type of voltage supply issue. it has now been repealed. breadcrumb home guideline 11: electricity industry - voltage variation compensation overview this guideline has been repealed. from 1 october 2022, the voltage variation compensation regulations are in schedule 4 of
We are responsible for setting, and annually reviewing, the Victorian Default Offer (VDO) prices. The default offer is designed to be a simple, trusted and reasonably priced electricity option that safeguards customers that are unwilling or unable to engage in the market.
We have set the Victorian Default Offer prices to apply from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2022.
Our final
This code of practice has the following objectives:
- to regulate the distribution of electricity by a distributor for supply to its customers so that it is undertaken in a safe, efficient and reliable manner
- to regulate planned and unplanned interruptions of supply, and the disconnection of customers
- to provide protections against disconnection and interruption of supply to life support customers
- to regulate the activities of exempt distributors
For those of you who may not be familiar with the Essential Services Commission, we regulate Victoria’s essential services in a way that is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the community.Our work plays an important role in creating the conditions to ensure that the sectors we regulate meet the needs of both consumers and the broader community.
… commercial and industrial heat pump water heater activities learn about the commercial and industrial heat pump water heater activity that can be undertaken under the victorian energy upgrades (veu) program. breadcrumb home commercial and industrial heat pump water heater activities overview this page provides information for accredited providers and scheme participants of the veu program. to access consumer information on the program, please go to the energy saving information for
Penalty notices
ENGIE penalty notices 2025 (Complaint handling)
(pdf, 12.17 MB)
More information
Media release: ENGIE
2025 presentations
Annual Victorian Energy Upgrades Forum 2025 Materials from the annual Victorian Energy Upgrades Forum on 27 November 2025. Video recording
27 November 2025
Presentation slides - Annual Victorian Energy Upgrades Forum 2025
Presentation slides from the annual
How to get a product on the VEU Register of Products
How to get a product approved and listed on the VEU Register of Products
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VEU Register of Products
You can search the VEU Register of Products by product
The Essential Services Commission’s annual Council Rate Cap Compliance Report shows two of the state’s 79 local councils exceeded the three per cent rate cap set by the Minister for Local Government. This is the first time the cap has been exceeded since 2020-21.
Each year, the Minister for Local Government sets the rate cap that specifies the maximum councils’ can increase rates for the forthcoming financial year. The minister can set a cap that applies to all councils, a group of councils or a single council.
Our advice to the minister includes:
- a recommendation for any adjustments to be applied to consumer price index in setting the cap for all councils, a grouping of councils or any individual council
Energy retailer ENGIE has been penalised $1,206,050 for allegedly failing to respond to customer complaints about billing issues in a timely manner. One customer waited over a year to have their bill reviewed. The Essential Services Commission established a taskforce to investigate ENGIE after receiving a referral from the Energy and Water Ombudsman (EWOV) earlier this year. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, EWOV received an influx of complaints about ENGIE and its data showed ENGIE had
Councils seeking a higher cap need to apply for a higher cap by 31 March each year.The application needs to set out:
- the proposed higher cap for each specified financial year
- the reasons why the council is seeking the higher cap
- how the views of ratepayers and the community have been considered in proposing the higher cap
- how the higher cap is an efficient use of council resources and represents value for money
- whether
Water prices, tariffs and special drainage
View information on prices for certain water services, maximum annual water tariffs and special drainage area prices
2025 submissions
Ministerial Guidelines for councils relating to payment of rates and charges (2025)On 5 December 2025, we submitted feedback to the Department of Government Services’ consultation on draft Ministerial Guidelines for councils relating to payment of rates and charges. Our submission identifies areas where the draft guidelines could be further strengthened to better facilitate effective and consistent practice in the sector. For more
This page contains annual performance data for Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) payments that Victorian electricity distributors make to customers. This data is submitted to both the Essential Services Commission and the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The data shows distributors’ performance against the customer service standards set in the Electricity Distribution Code of Practice. Electricity distributors are required to make GSL
We regulate participants and products in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program to deliver energy efficiency improvements which are more affordable for consumers, and reduces their long term energy consumption.
Latest edition
Essential Updates: Victorian Energy Upgrades program - December 2025
Energy retailers paid a record $24,467,958 for breaching Victoria’s consumer protections in 2025, as the state’s essential services regulator continued its crackdown on practices that exacerbate cost of living pressures or negatively affect vulnerable customers.The Essential Services Commission took action for a wide range of breaches, from failures to protect vulnerable customers, to illegal telemarketing and billing issues, reinforcing that unlawful conduct will be identified and have consequences.
Licence granted
CovaU Pty Ltd was granted a licence on 25 February 2015. The licence can be accessed via the resources tab.
Licence varied
This licence was last varied on 22 June 2022 with effect from 12 September 2022.