PIAC responded to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Amendments to the NSW/ACT RMPs for Customer Own Reads Consultation Paper.
We broadly supported AEMO’s examination of the proposal within the Consultation Paper, ensuring continuity of meter reads and accurate billing for gas customers during stay-at-home NSW health orders. We support the Consultation Paper’s proposed option where the customer prefers to provide an accurate actual meter read under other circumstances of access difficulty.
PIAC emphasised customers have the right to expect accurate bills based on their actual energy usage. However, the ongoing burden of ensuring accurate energy bills must not be unreasonably placed on consumers particularly as many consumers will not be able to utilise customer own reads (either for technological, language, disability, or other reasons). The ongoing responsibility for ensuring accurate reads should rightfully remain the role of a retailer.
