Expanding competition in metering and related services rule change

Letter in support of the joint submission made by the Alternative Technology Association and other consumer organisations (including PIAC) on the Consultation paper for the Expanding Competition in Metering and Related Services Rule Change. PIAC’s letter highlights the needs for specific guidance for networks undertaking smart meter deployment as part of a regulated DSP business case; for national consistency and therefore minimal jurisdictional derogations with regards to smart meters; for the National Energy Consumer Framework (NECF) to be updated; for any ‘exit fees’ to be justified and narrowly defined; need for consumer representation on the Information Exchange Committee and Retail Market Executive Committee, as well as the potential to use the current NSMP minimum functional specification (MFS) as a basis for any future MFS and the importance of regulating metering communications access charges.