On 9 July 2020, Discover Energy Pty Ltd (ACN 619 204 750) applied for a licence to sell electricity by retail under section 18 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic).

Consultation on the licence application closed on 3 August 2020. We did not receive any submissions.

We granted the licence on 12 August 2020.

Discover Energy Pty Ltd (ACN 619 204 750) has applied to the commission for a licence to sell gas by retail under section 25 of the Gas Industry Act 2001 (Vic).

We may grant or refuse to grant applications for any reason we consider appropriate having regard to our objectives under the Gas Industry Act 2001 (Vic) and the Essential Services Commission Act 2001 (Vic).

We granted the licence granted on 12 August 2020.

Total Gas & Power Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 167 432 448) has applied to the commission for a licence to sell electricity by retail under section 18 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic).

We may grant or refuse to grant applications for any reason we consider appropriate having regard to our objectives under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic) and the Essential Services Commission Act 2001 (Vic).

We granted the licence granted on 12 August 2020.

We have looked at ways to ensure faster and more transparent electricity connections at new Victorian housing developments.

Starting in March 2021, Victorian electricity distributors need to follow new customer service standards when working with developers and contractors to connect new housing developments to electricity.

The new standards mean distributors have to report their performance to the commission every six months and work together with developers to ensure connection works meet quality requirements. 

Each distributor's customer service standard includes:

• An overarching customer outcomes statement setting out what a distribution business expects to deliver over the next two years in relation to negotiated connections.
• A requirement to form a consultative committee that meets quarterly to discuss improvements in negotiated connection processes.
• A performance reporting framework that distribution businesses are to report against every six months.

The changes come after recent reviews found delays connected to power, despite improvements over the past two years. The standards were developed in consultation with key stakeholders such as developers and contractors.

These changes will help people move into their new homes quicker and help understand the electricity distribution businesses' processes for managing new connections.