To support innovation, the National Electricity Rules allow for tariff trials (NER cl. 6.18.1C).
We have published our guidance to distributors on how these trials could be approached in the document,
AER - Distributors should explore tariff trials
As of August 2021 the individual and cumulative thresholds for tariff trials have been increased to 1% and 5% respectively. This increase is temporary and applies for the current and next regulatory periods. We encourage distributors to take advantage of these provisions to trial more innovative and cost reflective tariffs.
Any trials that distributors wish to run in the first year of the 5 year regulatory period must be detailed in their TSS. For trials in the second to fifth years of the regulatory period, the AER has to be notified 4 months before the start of the regulatory year in which the trial will occur. The AER has created a notification template for distributors to submit potential tariff trials as part of their annual pricing proposals:
AER - Tariff trial notification template
Tariff trial notifications submitted to the AER will be published below.
2021-22 tariff trial notifications
The following distributors proposed new tariff trials during the 2021–22 annual pricing process:
2022-23 tariff trial notifications
The following distributors proposed new tariff trials during the 2022–23 annual pricing process:
On 7 March 2022, CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy provided revised notifications to correct an error in the export rebate rate for the non-distributor owned community battery trial tariff. On 15 March 2022, Ausgrid provided a revised notification to correct two typographical errors in Table 5 and Table 7. On 26 July 2022, Essential Energy provided a revised notification to correct an error in the graphic on the proposed battery tariff and indicative prices on page 6.
2023-24 tariff trial notifications
The following distributors proposed new tariff trials during the 2023-24 annual pricing process:
On 24 March 2023, CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy provided an explanatory cover note to include more context to their tariff trial notifications.
On 3 May 2023, Essential Energy provided an updated tariff trial notification which identifies that its grid-connected battery tariff trial includes sub-transmission grid-connected batteries, in addition to high voltage grid-connected batteries.