On 17 June 2024, Regional Wind Farms Pty Ltd (ACN 107 163 182) applied for a licence to generate electricity under section 18 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000.Consultation on the licence application closed on 15 July 2024. We did not receive any submissions.We granted the licence on 7 August 2024.
The Essential Services Commission has confirmed the prices to apply in 2024–25 for Victoria’s 16 water businesses.Typical water bills will generally rise in line with inflation over 2024–25. Average bills for owner-occupier households are set to rise, after inflation, by around $33 (three per cent) in Melbourne and by around $50 (four per cent) in regional Victoria. Customers of Barwon Water and Yarra Valley Water will have the lowest bill increases at $30, while Coliban Water customers will have
On 1 April 2024, the Water Industry Standards introduced new obligations on water businesses relating to self-reporting of non-compliance with the Water Industry Standards. Under the self-reporting obligation, a water business must report to the commission potential or actual non-compliances that may have a material adverse impact. To assist water businesses in meeting their reporting obligation, we have published a guideline under section 13 of the Essential Services
The Port of Melbourne and its tenants use contracts to set property rents for port of Melbourne land.This was our second five-yearly inquiry on the Port of Melbourne's process for setting land rents. It involves assessing whether the port's rent-setting process negatively affects consumers.Our inquiry assessed the setting and reviewing of land rents at the Port of Melbourne over the period 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2024.The inquiry considered whether
… commissioner sitesh bhojani to leave at the end of his term with the essential services commission 26 july 2024 on 18 august 2024, my five-year term at the essential services commission comes to an end. i regard it as a great privilege and honour to have served the victorian community and consumers as the commission’s first … opportunities. during my time at the commission, it has enhanced its culture of action while encouraging its regulated businesses to develop their
31 July 2024 The commission has taken enforcement action against accredited business Ecovantage for allegedly breaching the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program rules. Alleged breach Ecovantage allegedly breached the VEU program rules by creating 1,289 Victorian energy efficiency certificates (certificates) for building lighting upgrades with inaccurate claims about baseline lighting and upgrades installed, and for failing to hold valid rights to create certificates from consumers.
Flo Energy Australia Pty Ltd applied for a licence to sell gas by retail under section 24 of the Gas Industry Act 2001 (Vic). Consultation on the licence application closed on 6 December 2024. You can read the submissions we received in the Resources tab above.We granted the licence on 18 December 2024.
Perpetual Energy Pty Ltd (ACN 643 401 496) applied for a licence to sell gas in Victoria under section 25 of the Gas Industry Act 2001 (Vic).Consultation on the licence application closed on 20 February 2025. You can read the submissions we received in the Resources tab above.We granted the licence on 2 April 2025.
The Essential Services Commission has today released the September 2024 Victorian Energy Market Report. The report covers the period from 1 April to 30 June 2024.
Energy retailers IPower Pty Limited and IPower 2 Pty Limited (trading in partnership as Engie, and formerly known as Simply Energy), have paid penalties totalling $1,676,104 for alleged breaches of Victorian energy rules related to family violence provisions and performance reporting.In 2023, a financial counsellor informed the commission that they considered Engie had not followed rules about protecting the accounts of customers affected by family violence.The
Our review included the assessment of capacity control products and the verification of bills for smart meter readings.
We released our Review of Regulatory Instruments Stage 1: Final Decision in the second half of 2008.
Independent audits confirmed AusNet customers now have fully functioning smart meters. This means AusNet customers can access information and services available to other Victorians, such as connecting to electricity more easily or switching to a new electricity retailer faster.
We required AusNet to meet required service standards
In June 2015, we accepted the Ausnet Services' smart meter undertaking requiring the company to meet the required service
We have been asked by the Victorian Government to monitor and report on the competitiveness and efficiency of the Victorian energy retail market, as part of recommendations made by the independent bipartisan review of electricity and gas retail markets in 2018.
Since then, we have engaged with interested stakeholders and the public to develop a framework and approach to help assess whether the Victorian energy retail market is delivering good value to energy consumers.
We
This review focused on amending the Electricity Distribution Code to allow for the operation of Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter (REFCL) technology to prevent bushfires.
We have now updated the code
Changes to the code enable use of REFCLs at 45 high voltage substations in high risk fire areas across Victoria. The introduction of the technology was an outcome of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and subsequent new bushfire mitigation regulations.
The amended
The Essential Services Commission has today released its draft report on accident towing fees, proposing no change to the current fee structures for towing and storing vehicles damaged in road accidents.
In September 2015, the Victorian Government asked us to examine the true value of distributed generation (electricity generated by sources including solar panels).
The inquiry involved two separate but related stages. The first looked at the energy value of distributed generation (the value of electricity generated from alternative sources, like solar power). The second stage looked at the network value (the value of the electricity to the network as a whole). In both
18 February 2025Updated program documents – warranty and co-payment requirementsUpdated product warranty requirements commencing 31 March 2025On 31 January 2025, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (department) published an updated version of the Victorian Energy Upgrades Specifications Version 19.1.
Related work
PREMO water pricing framework
Our water pricing framework puts customers at the centre of a water business's decision making. We also review how the framework is performing over time.
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We promote the long-term interests of
Gas Embedded Network General Exemption Order 2025
In Victoria, if a person provides services by means of a distribution pipeline, they will need a licence from the Essential Services Commission to do so or be exempt from that requirement.The Gas Embedded Networks General Exemption Order 2025 (GEN GEO 2025) is an Order in Council made under the Gas Industry Act 2001. It commenced on 25 February 2025 and exempts persons who provide services, by means of a