PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Directlink 2020-25 revised revenue proposal.
Overall, PIAC welcomes Directlink’s acceptance of many aspects of the AER’s draft determination. We note the importance of reducing in the Regulated Asset Base of network businesses such as Directlink to improve affordability for NSW households. Given the importance of robust and early consumer engagement, the level of consumer engagement conducted by Directlink in developing its original proposal was not acceptable (this is discussed in more detail in PIAC’s earlier submission[1]).
PIAC also supports, in principle, Directlink’s proposal for recovering efficient end of life costs in a manner that ensures efficient costs are recovered from the customers benefiting from Directlink and using a robust and transparent methodology used by other relevant regulators.