The Australian Energy Market Commission today released four consultant reports to inform its review of retail competition in NSW energy markets, prior to its first public forum on 20 March 2013.

The reports include:

  • a quantitative survey of 1,000 residential energy customers across NSW (Roy Morgan);
  • a quantitative survey of 500 small business energy customers across NSW (Roy Morgan);
  • a report on four focus groups with residential and small business customers held in Parramatta and Dubbo (Roy Morgan); and
  • a survey of retailers’ views on aspects of market competitiveness in NSW including interviews with 16 businesses; the Energy Retailers’ Association; and the Energy Supply Association of Australia (Sapere).

The AEMC will hold a public forum on the review on 20 March 2013 in Sydney. The consultant reports released today will help inform forum discussions.

Stakeholders may register for the forum through the AEMC’s website at http://www.aemc.gov.au/News/Public-hearings.html

Stakeholders may make written submissions on these consultant reports during the consultation period on the draft report, due to be released in late May.

These survey reports are only one part of the picture of competition in NSW energy retail markets. We will consider this information along with submissions and other sources of information to provide an overall assessment of the state of competition in our draft report, due in late May 2013.  

Under the Australian Energy Market Agreement the AEMC is required to assess and publicly report on the effectiveness of retail competition in energy retail markets in each state and territory (except Western Australia and the Northern Territory). The AEMC will consider the state of competition in NSW and provide advice on ways to promote the growth of effective competition; or to phase out retail price regulation if competition is found to be effective.

The review will be completed and our advice provided to energy ministers by 30 September 2013.

It will explore:

  • small customers' experiences of energy retail competition including the types of marketing practices used and prices offered;
  • retailers’ experiences of full energy retail competition, including any perceived barriers to entry;
  • views on time of use tariffs, including their availability, take up and impact on competition; and
  • views on the best path to removing retail price regulation in NSW's small customer electricity and natural gas retail markets, including views on the appropriateness of gradually rolling back the consumption threshold for access to regulated prices.

 

For information contact:

AEMC Acting Senior Director, Eamonn Corrigan (02) 8296 7800

Media: Communication Manager, Prudence Anderson 0404 821 935 or (02) 8296 7817

Date: 28 February 2012