On 15 September 2015, the AEMC received a rule change request from Ergon Energy Queensland to amend the National Energy Retail Rules. The AEMC released a consultation paper on the rule change request on 17 December 2015.
The rule change request seeks to enable retailers to delay issuing a bill to a small customer supplied under a standing offer until a meter read is provided by the relevant Metering Data Provider. This is to provide small customers with bills based on actual consumption, reducing the number of estimated bills issued.
Consultation paper
On 28 January 2016 we provided a submission in response to the AEMC consultation paper. Our submission opposed the rule change request on the basis that it would negatively impact vulnerable and low income consumers and was unnecessary.
AER submission to AEMC - meter read and billing frequency rule change - 28 January 2016
Draft determination
On 31 March 2016, the AEMC released a draft determination on meter read and billing frequency. The draft determination detailed the AEMC's more preferable' rule to the rule change originally proposed by Ergon Energy Queensland.
The AEMC's more preferable rule amends the obligation on retailers to issue a bill to customers on standing offers from at least once every three months to every 100 days.
On 12 May 2016, we provided a submission in response to the draft determination welcoming the AEMC's more preferable rule over the original rule change proposal while noting our remaining concerns about increased and irregular billing cycles.
AER submission to AEMC - Meter Read & Billing Frequency rule change determination - 12 May 2016
More information
More information on AEMC's rule change can be found on the AEMC website.