Industry responds to embedded network reforms

The Property Council has provided a submission into the Public Works and Utilities Committee’s investigation into the Electricity and Other Legislation (Batteries and Premium Feed-in Tariff) Amendment Bill 2017.

Amendments proposed in the Bill will have the effect of removing the restriction placed on ‘receivers’ having to connect to the local distribution network, in order to access retail market offers from an authorised retailer. This will enable Queensland to adopt the new national regulatory framework for retail competition in embedded electricity networks, which is due to commence on 1 December 2017.

While supporting national consistency, the Property Council used the opportunity to raise concerns about how the changes will place an inequitable administrative and cost burden on the owners of embedded networks.

Under the new national electricity rules, network owners will need to appoint an Embedded Network Manager for each network, and absorb the cost of this service. 

The committee’s report is due to be tabled by Friday, 11 August 2017