Follow these steps if you are applying for an electricity or gas licence.
Apply for an electricity or gas licence
If you are considering applying for an electricity or gas licence, read our Guideline: Applications for electricity and gas industry licences as a first step.
Some key things to consider before you start:
- Ensure you understand the Victorian licensing framework and the regulatory obligations relevant to the activity you are proposing to undertake.
- Identify all parties involved with your proposed activity, and ensure that everyone who will be engaging in a relevant activity is applying for a licence.
- Make sure you are ready to submit your application. You must be able to provide all information and documents specified in our application forms to demonstrate you are technically capable, financially viable and fit and proper to hold a licence.
Timeframes: Applications for electricity and gas industry licences
Generally, it will take approximately eight to ten weeks to process an application once we consider the application to be complete:
- An application is considered complete once all the information in the application form has been provided and any additional information from the applicant needed for the commission to make a decision has been provided.
- The eight to ten weeks processing time includes the time taken for public consultation (generally four weeks) in line with the commission’s Charter of Consultation and Regulatory Practice and as required under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 and Gas Industry Act 2001.
- The assessment and decision timeframes can be affected by the details and circumstances of the application, the quality and standard of the material provided, and the number of submissions received in relation to the application (where applicable).
Guideline: Applications for electricity and gas industry licences
Preparing your application
Your application must contain all the information outlined in the relevant application form.
It is your responsibility to provide the commission with accurate, relevant and complete documentation. As outlined in our guideline, we may need you to provide additional information or documentation regarding your application. We may also ask you to make changes to the form and content of the application.
Application forms
From 30 July 2024, a person can sell electricity through the wholesale electricity market without holding a licence, being exempted, or being the holder of a trial waiver. This is due to an amendment to the Electricity Industry Act 2000 by the National Energy Retail Law (Victoria) Act 2024. As such, Victorian wholesale licences are no longer necessary.
Offshore wind
Under current regulatory settings, an offshore wind provider that operates infrastructure generating electricity and delivery is connecting to a connection point within the transmission network, will need a generation licence from the commission.
Lodging your application
You must complete and submit the applicable licence application form for the proposed licensable activity. If you have any queries following your review of the guideline and relevant application form, you can contact us at licences@esc.vic.gov.au.
We aim to contact all applicants for an electricity or gas licence within five business days of receiving the application.
The application form including attachments should be emailed (preferred) or delivered in hard copy to the following address:
Electronically to licences@esc.vic.gov.au or in hard copy to:
Market Operations, Energy Division
Essential Services Commission
Level 8/570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Individual attachments that are clearly titled (consistently with the attachment references specified in the application form) must be provided. Do not bundle attachments into single, large files.
Large files
Applicants generally need to send us large files which is often not suitable via email. Please contact us at licences@esc.vic.gov.au to discuss alternative options to provide an application to the commission.
Publication of your licence application
Once we are satisfied your application is complete, we will publish it on our website and seek submissions from interested parties. We also publish applications for electricity and gas retail licences that involve the sale of energy to residential and small business customers on Victorian Government’s consultation platform, Engage Victoria. The application will also be advertised via a public notice in The Age newspaper.
The consultation period for applications is usually for four weeks in line with the our Charter of Consultation and Regulatory Practice.
Our guideline provides more information on the commission’s approach to confidential material.
Submissions
Submissions we receive may be published on the commission’s website (except those that are confidential). We will notify you in writing if we receive any submissions. You will have an opportunity to respond to the submissions and to clarify any issues that have been raised.
Considering your application
Your application will be formally considered once the consultation period has closed. In making our decision we review all material relevant to your application including:
- all of the material you have provided as part of your application
- the content of any submissions we received about your application
- your responses to the submissions.
We may also consider material from other sources including advice from external consultants and others regarding your application. We will always give you the opportunity to respond to any adverse comments or information we have received from external sources prior to making our decision.
Notification of our decision
We will notify you of the commission’s decision in writing. This decision is also published on our website and in the Victorian Government Gazette. We will also notify anyone who made a submission regarding your application.