In its submission, PIAC urges the NSW Government to regard climate change mitigation policies as a high priority in addressing the future risk of catastrophic bushfires and recommends that mitigation strategies be designed to also alleviate disadvantage for households and help build resilience in bushfire vulnerable areas.
Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) can help to improve the resilience of communities and their energy supply in remote, edge of grid, bushfire vulnerable areas. PIAC recommends that the Inquiry integrate findings from SAPS reviews being undertaken by IPART and the AEMC.
PIAC also recommends in future bushfire events, appropriate, coordinated hardship supports for energy and water bills should be implemented, including a moratorium on debt collection and recovery actions in affected areas and temporary additional resources available for Energy Account Payment Assistance (EAPA) to address increased demand.
