On 30 March 2012 the AER received an access arrangement proposal from SP AusNet for the 2012 Victorian Gas Access Arrangement Review.

On 18 May 2012 the AER hosted a workshop on the proposed terms and conditions.

The workshop provided retailers and distributors with a forum to identify and discuss key issues arising from the proposed amendments to the non-price terms and conditions of the distributors' access arrangements.

The AER sought submissions from interested parties on SP Ausnet's access arrangement proposal. Submissions closed on 29 June 2012.

The AER conducted a preliminary examination of the access arrangement proposal and found a nominated averaging period was omitted from the proposal. In accordance with sub-rule 43(3) of the National Gas Rules (NGR), the information submitted in SP AusNet's access arrangement information was, in the AER's opinion, deficient in its comprehensiveness or in any other respect. The AER requested SP AusNet, in accordance with sub-rule 43(3)(b) of the NGR, to submit further access arrangement information as an addendum to the information already submitted.

The AER requested SP AusNet to nominate an averaging period for the market data such as the risk free rate and debt risk premium.

In accordance with sub-rule 11(1)(b) of the NGR, the period taken by SP AusNet to correct the deficiency was disregarded for the purpose of calculating the decision making time for approving or refusing to approve SP AusNet’s access arrangement proposal and the decision making time under rule 10 of the NGR.