Power of Choice - Changes Summary - Market Retail Contract

The Power of Choice reforms result in the following key changes to the Terms and Conditions of your contract with EnergyAustralia:

We are now responsible for metering at your premises so you need to provide us and our representatives with safe and unhindered access for metering purposes. You will need to pay reasonable costs we incur as a result of your failure to allow such access
You need to tell us about any changes to your premises that materially affect access to your meter
We may need to interrupt your electricity supply to install, repair, maintain or replace your meter. If we do so, we will let you know at least 4 business days in advance
We are permitted to arrange for disconnection of your electricity supply if you don’t provide us or our representatives with safe access to your property for metering purposes. We will send you the required warning notice(s) and give you a reasonable opportunity to fix any access issue before we take any steps to do this.

Below is a detailed summary of what’s changed between the previous version and the new version (applicable from 1 December 2017):

Clause 8.1: paragraph (a) has been amended to include the following words at the end of the paragraph:
“, including, where we sell you electricity, the provision, installation and maintenance of your meter.”

Clause 8.2: the words “metering equipment and” have been deleted from the clause.

Clause 9.2: a new paragraph (b) has been inserted and reads as follows:

“(b) you are aware of any change that materially affects access to your meter or to other equipment involved in providing metering services at the premises.”

The remaining text has been renumbered as paragraph (a).

Clause 9.3: a new paragraph (c) has been inserted and reads as follows:

“(c) If the premises are registered as having life support equipment, we must give you:

(i) general advice relating to the retailer planned interruption to the supply of electricity to the premises;

(ii) at least 4 business days' notice in writing of any retailer planned interruption to the supply of electricity to the premises; and

(iii) an emergency telephone contact number.”

Clause 14: paragraphs (a) and (d) have been deleted and replaced with the following:

“(a) You must allow us and our authorised representatives safe and unhindered access to your premises for the purposes of (where relevant):

(i) reading, testing, maintaining, inspecting or altering any metering installation at the premises; and

(ii) calculating or measuring energy supplied or taken at the premises; and

(iii) checking the accuracy of metered consumption at the premises; and

(iv) replacing meters.

You agree to pay the reasonable costs we incur as a result of your failure to allow such access.”

“(d) If you entered into this contract after 1 December 2017 or have otherwise expressly agreed, you waive your rights to opt out of having your meter replaced as part of any new meter deployment.”

Clause 17.1: a new paragraph (d) has been inserted and reads as follows:

“(d) you fail to give us safe and unhindered access to the premises as required by clause 14 or any requirements under the energy laws; or”

The remaining paragraphs, including the previous paragraph (d), have been renumbered.

Clause 17.2: paragraph (a) has been amended to include the following words:

“, and in relation to safe and unhindered access only, we must use our best endeavours to contact you to arrange an appointment with you for access to your premises in addition to any warning notice.”

A new clause 17A has been inserted and reads as follows:

“17A Planned interruptions

17A.1 We may arrange retailer planned interruptions

(a) We may arrange retailer planned interruptions to the supply of electricity to your premises where permitted under the energy laws for the purpose of the installation, maintenance, repair or replacement of your electricity meter.

(b) If your electricity supply will be affected by a retailer planned interruption arranged by us, we will give you at least 4 business days' notice.

17A.2 Information about planned interruptions

(a) If you request us to do so, we will use our best endeavours to explain a retailer planned interruption to the supply of electricity to the premises which was arranged by us.

(b) If you request an explanation be in writing we must, within 10 business days of receiving the request, give you either:

(i) the written explanation; or

(ii) an estimate of the time it will take to provide a more detailed explanation if a longer period is reasonably needed.

Clause 18(a): the words “request your distributor to reconnect” have been deleted and replaced with “arrange for the reconnection of”

A new clause 26.3 has been inserted and reads as follows:

“26.3 Application of certain clauses

The following provisions only apply from 1 December 2017 and do not apply in the State of Victoria:

(a) clause 9.3(c) (notice about retailer planned interruptions);

(b) clause 17A (Planned Interruptions).

Clause 27.1: the following new definitions have been inserted:

interruption means a temporary unavailability or temporary curtailment of the supply of electricity from a distribution system to a customer, but does not include disconnection;

meter includes the metering installation;

new meter deployment means the replacement of your existing meter arranged by us, other than where the replacement is:

(a) requested by you;

(b) due to maintenance or because of a malfunction; or

retailer planned interruption means an interruption that:

(a) is for the purposes of the installation, maintenance, repair or replacement of your electricity meter; and

(b) does not involve the distributor effecting the interruption; and

For our full Terms and Conditions go to https://www.energyaustralia.com.au/conditions-pricing