The Australian Energy Market Commission today started public consultation on a rule change request from the COAG Energy Council that relates to the alignment of network and retail tariff structures for small customers with an interval meter.

The rule change request proposes to require distribution businesses to provide a network tariff with a structure consistent with a retail standing offer, where retailers are required by a state or territory government to make this standing offer available to small customers with an interval meter.

The rule change request proposes that where a small customer with an interval meter elects to be supplied under the standing offer, the distribution business must allow the retailer to assign the small customer to the corresponding network tariff.  Regulatory approval of annual network tariffs would be contingent on these obligations being met.

The consultation paper summaries the COAG Energy Council’s rule change request and identifies a number of issues for consultation.

Submissions on the consultation paper and rule change request close on 7 May 2015.