11 July 2022
In light of the code of conduct coming into effect on 1 July, we previously advised that VEEC assignment forms used by accredited persons would need to be updated by 15 July.
These were to include the accredited person declaration.
As an alternative, we will also accept the accredited person declaration to be a separate document to the assignment form until 31 July.
From 1 August, all assignment forms need to be updated to incorporate the accredited person declaration.
Victoria’s energy regulator says falling wholesale electricity prices mean the minimum feed-in tariff paid to solar customers who feed their power back into the grid is likely to continue falling.
The Port of Melbourne withdrew its rebalancing application to vary its prescribed service tariffs for wharfage from 1 July 2021 on 11 February 2021.
As a result, we will no longer be releasing an interim decision.
The port has indicated it may submit a new application and has made a commitment to providing further opportunities to port users and other stakeholders on this.
Read our media statement on the port's withdrawal of its application
The Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline sets out information that electricity and gas retailers and distributors report on their performance and compliance with regulatory obligations to the commission.
Proposed update
In December 2020 we consulted on a targeted update to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline, with a focus on the reporting of potential breaches relating to recent reforms
Powershop has paid penalties totalling $300,000 for allegedly discriminating against Victorian households with rooftop solar.
The Essential Services Commission found the energy retailer, under its Kogan Energy brand, offered solar customers more expensive plans than non-solar customers, which goes against the state’s energy rules.
Our 2021 report on the outcomes of rate capping in Victoria identifies any impacts or trends that might be emerging across the local government sector.
The outcomes report provides information about councils’ service, infrastructure and financial outcomes.
You can download information related to your council and view our over-arching report.
The report covers 2016–17 to 2019–20
We have completed two outcomes reports since the introduction of rate capping in the 2016–17
The past 12 months of economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has seen the number of Victorian customers in hardship programs steadily increasing, with metropolitan Melbourne hit the hardest, according to data collected by the Essential Services Commission.
While water businesses have been supporting customers, including small business and other non-residential customers, to ensure they are aware of existing support programs, the number of customers in debt or struggling has grown
The state’s independent water regulator has reduced the maximum interest water businesses can charge customers who don’t pay bills on time, from 3.9 per cent to 2.9 per cent.
Each year the commission sets the maximum interest rate water businesses may charge customers for unpaid bills, based on up-to-date information on borrowing rates.
Pricing director Marcus Crudden said that while the reduction provides additional protection for customers struggling to pay their bills, many were not currently being
More information
Find out more about program requirement for accredited persons, in accordance with COVIDSafe practices.
Coronavirus requirements in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program
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4 June 2021
New coronavirus
Any plan offered to a non-renewable energy customer must also be offered to a renewable energy customer on the same tariffs, terms and conditions. A renewable energy customer includes a residential customer with roof top solar system.
Additional information on guidance
The commission considered section 23C of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 and provides the following guidance, issued on 9 June 2021.
16 June 2021
New coronavirus restrictions
On 16 June the Victorian Government announced changes to restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria to commence from 11:59pm Thursday 17 June.
Penalty notices
18 June 2021
Click Energy penalty notices 2021 (explicit informed consent)
(pdf, 650.35 KB)
Further information
Thursday 3 September, 3–4:30 pm (via Zoom)
Victoria’s community support and consumer advocacy groups are concerned about increasing financial difficulties for vulnerable Victorians in the back half of 2020.
Representatives from 12 organisations in the help sector came together for the group’s fifth roundtable discussion since the coronavirus pandemic started.
The group heard about the importance of appropriate income support for vulnerable Victorians, particularly as winter bills start to arrive
The state’s economic regulator has left maximum fares unchanged for cabs hailed from the street or taxi ranks, citing a need to maintain price stability.
More than 80 representatives from the energy industry, consumer groups and others met in a virtual public forum today to hear more about a proposed reduction to the state’s electricity default price for 2021.
The forum, led by Essential Services Commission chair Kate Symons heard from project manager Jonathan Roberts as well as Ben Barnes from the Australian Energy Council representing the energy industry and Patrick Sloyan from the Consumer Action Law Centre.
Victorian consumers could be worse off due to an uneven relationship between the Port of Melbourne and its tenants when negotiating rents, a report into the Port of Melbourne’s approach to setting rents has found.
The Essential Services Commission’s report found the way the port negotiated and set rents could have a negative impact on Victorian consumers through higher product prices, or deferred investment.
Around 70 embedded network operators, industry peak bodies and other stakeholders met yesterday for the launch of a new guide to help operators understand their obligations to consumers.
More than 2 million Melbourne households can have a say on Melbourne Water’s service priorities and prices to apply in coming years, which have been put forward in a proposal to the Essential Services Commission.
With more households getting help to pay their water bills, the regulator says it’s pleased with how water businesses are supporting customers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
A new report shows Victorian water and sewerage bills fell slightly on average in 2020–21, continuing the relatively steady or slight declines seen in customer bills since 2018-19.