Contestable works
The Electricity Supply Act 1995 mandates that electricity customers have the right to choose who carries out the connection services work needed to connect to the existing electricity network, build an extension to the electricity network or increase the capacity of an existing electricity connection. This work is therefore described as being 'contestable work'.
The Electricity Supply Act requires that service providers who undertake this work must be accredited and are thus described as 'accredited service providers'.
The Minister for Energy is responsible for the Electricity Supply Act and the associated Regulation which covers the accreditation process. The former Department of Water and Energy produced the Code of Practice Contestable Works (PDF 157KB) covering the responsibilities of network operators, accredited service providers and customers in this area.
The Accrediting Agency role for the Accredited Service Provider Scheme is carried out by the Office of Fair Trading.
Application for accreditation or authorisation of staff under the Accredited Service Provider Scheme should be made to the Office of Fair Trading who also have lists of accredited service providers and copies of any scheme documents. The Office of Fair Trading can be contacted by phone 02 9895 0008, by email aspscheme@oft.commerce.nsw.gov.au or via their website http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.
Review of NSW electricity network contestable services
The NSW Government is seeking input into a review of electricity network contestable services in NSW.
The review will examine the operation of the scheme that accredits service providers who undertake contestable services on the electricity network (the Accredited Service Providers Scheme). It will also consider the range of services that are contestable, particularly whether certification of design work and inspection of customer connection services, network extension or network augmentation for technical compliance should be made contestable (these are currently monopoly services provided by distribution network service providers).
An issues paper (PDF 195 KB) has been released for public comment. The review is being undertaken jointly by the Better Regulation Office, Industry & Investment NSW (previously by Department of Water & Energy) and the Office of Fair Trading.
Make a submission on the issues raised in discussion paper by email to electricity@dpc.nsw.gov.au.
The closing date for submissions is 7 August 2009.
If you do not have access to email, please send submissions to:
Electricity Network Contestable Services Review
Better Regulation Office
GPO Box 5341
Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 02 9228 5414
Fax: 02 9228 4408