From 1 January 2009, as part of its responsibility for regulating electricity distribution network service providers, the AER assumed responsibility for regulating distributors’ public lighting charges in Victoria.
This includes administering the Public Lighting Code, which requires the electricity distributors to offer a fair and reasonable Operation, Maintenance and Repair (OMR) charge for public lighting services they provide to local councils and VicRoads. The Essential Service Commission of Victoria (ESCV) Guideline 14, Provision of Services by Electricity Distributors governs the means by which the charges can be assessed.
Since early 2008, municipal councils and distributors have been negotiating to replace existing public lighting infrastructure with new energy efficient lights.
The ESCV has undertaken an analysis of distributors’ proposed OMR charges for energy efficient public lights and issued a Draft Decision on those charges in November 2008.
The AER is responsible for issuing a Final Decision on energy efficient public lighting charges in 2009.