Submission to the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap’s Electricity Infrastructure Fund Policy Paper

PIAC made a submission to the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap’s Electricity Infrastructure Fund Policy Paper, under Part 7 of the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 (NSW) (EII Act).

We broadly support the proposed guiding principles for the assessment of policy positions for distribution business cost recovery, and made recommendations around providing protection, transparency, fairness, and certainty for consumers on the apportionment of distribution business contributions.

Costs passed through to consumers should be reflective of that class of consumers’ use of the network, based on energy delivered and peak demand. Additionally, distribution businesses should alleviate the extra burden of the proposed cost pass-throughs via their respective established hardship policies, for consumers experiencing hardship, and those at risk of hardship.