The ENA submitted its response to the Electricity Price Review options paper - welcoming the proposed phasing out of the low fixed-charge regulations for residential electricity.
“A falsehood can travel halfway round the world before the truth can get its boots on” is an oft-repeated quote. The maxim clearly has as much merit today as when first uttered two centuries ago.
Around seventy representatives from retailers, distributors, regulators and consumers attended ENA’s pricing reform update workshop in Wellington in November.
All electricity-related regulation of the distribution sector should be under the ambit of the Commerce Commission, and an energy ‘ambassador’ should be considered to amplify the voice of ordinary consumers, the ENA says.
A milestone was marked by Wellington Electricity last week with the completion of seismic remedial work at its Miramar substation as part of its three-year, $31.2 million earthquake preparedness programme.
Electricity distributors have welcomed a report on the status of New Zealand’s electricity industry, and will be preparing a detailed and measured response to its findings.
A Commerce Commission decision today shows the importance of giving electricity distributors greater flexibility in meeting their reliability standards without facing financial penalties.