PIAC made a submission to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and Energy Security Board’s (ESB) Benefits of increased network visibility consultation paper.
Better access to data on the performance of low-voltage networks is needed to optimise consumer energy resources and network assets, and help ensure new market arrangements and consumer protections work for all consumers.
PIAC considers this objective can best be realised through an effectively managed open access data regime. Where network data already exists, is of usable quality, and can be made available at relatively low cost, it should be made available.
In the submission we argued that data generated and subsidised by consumers should be available for the benefit of the system as a whole where this can be done at no risk of detriment to the consumer. Such data should be made public within the limits of consumer privacy.
Reducing unfair fines and over-policing from alcohol-free zones