In December 2020 we consulted on a targeted update to the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline, with a focus on the reporting of potential breaches relating to recent reforms in 2020. We also consulted on new performance indicators for electricity distributors, as per our final decision on Electricity Distribution Code customer service standards.

As part of our consultation, on 9 December 2020 we held an industry meeting to set out the proposed changes. This was attended by 53 industry stakeholders (gas and electricity distributors and retailers, and representatives from industry organisations). We sought feedback on draft compliance breach reporting templates and performance reporting templates.

Compliance breach reporting

Consultation on the draft breach reporting templates closed on 15 January 2021. We received eight written submissions, five from retailers and three from distributors.

Stakeholders sought greater clarity on the rationale for our proposed changes, and the criteria used to determine how a breach is classified.

Performance indicators for electricity distributors 

Following the industry meeting, we met with all five Victorian electricity distributors to discuss new performance indicators in more detail, which informed the development of draft performance reporting templates.

Consultation on these templates closed on 22 January 2021. We received written submissions from all the electricity distributors on our proposed changes.

Distributors sought clarification on certain indicators and suggested some changes to ensure greater consistency with equivalent national reporting requirements.

Final decision on performance indicators for electricity distributors

In April 2021 we published a final decision on new performance indicators for electricity distributors. From 1 July 2021, distributors will be required to report on: 

• the time it takes to process embedded generation applications and connect solar and battery systems
• all guaranteed service level data they currently provide to the Australian Energy Regulator
• smart meter unplanned outage data.

Version 6 of the Compliance and Performance Reporting Guideline includes these new indicators. Distributors should use the new reporting templates to report on these indicators from 1 July 2021.

We are reviewing compliance breach reporting requirements 

We have considered views raised by stakeholders in submissions and are conducting a wider review of breach reporting requirements.

However, we reiterate that potential breaches of obligations relating to life support customers should be reported as a type 1 breach (within 2 days) as we noted following our final decision on life support customer protections. We would also remind retailers and distributors that it is a condition of their licence to report breaches of licence conditions to the commission as soon as practicable. To the extent a breach is not the subject of a reporting timeframe in the Compliance and Reporting Guideline (as for instance some recent reforms) a retailer is required to report the breach as soon as is practicable.