Decision on HME Enduring Market Making Approach
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The Authority has reviewed the market making arrangements that support the electricity futures market. Building on the success of the existing arrangements, the Authority has decided to transition to an incentivised market making approach with commercial providers.
The transition could take several years and will be closely managed by the Authority to ensure consumers interests are protected. Initially the existing market makers Meridian, Mercury, Contact and Genesis will be required to provide services backed by a Code obligation. The Authority will also seek to procure at least one additional provider on a commercial basis. The Authority intends to recover the costs of the commercial market maker from the beneficiaries of market making.
More detailed information on the scheme will be released in October 2020.
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Raising consumer awareness of Utilities Disputes and Powerswitch services
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Utilities Disputes and Powerswitch give consumers simple and accessible channels to get more information about their electricity options. These services empower and enable consumers to make choices and to act on those choices.
Increased consumer awareness of these services will contribute to a more efficient and competitive electricity industry.
The Authority is improving consumer awareness of Powerswitch and Utilities Disputes by amending the Code to require retailers and distributors to promote these services to consumers in certain situations.
The change comes into effect on 1 April 2021.
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Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Improving Trader Default Process) 2020
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On 25 August we published the Code amendment and gazette notice for the Improving Trader Default Process.
We have now published the Decisions and Reasons paper and the Summary of Submissions for this Code amendment.
These amendments to Parts 11 and 14 of the Code come into force on 7 September 2020.
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Closure of retailer debt deferral scheme: consultation on proposed Code amendment
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The Authority has published a consultation paper on the potential closure of the retailer debt deferral scheme.
The consultation paper proposes amending the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (Code) to revoke provisions relating to the retailer debt deferral scheme in November 2020.
The scheme was enacted by urgent amendment to the Code on 20 May 2020 in order to protect against the risk of significant retailer exit due to the extraordinary circumstances resulting from NZ’s COVID-19 lockdown.
The Authority is of the view the scheme may no longer be needed to protect retail competition.
The Authority is seeking feedback from participants on whether there are reasons for the retailer debt deferral scheme to remain open until its scheduled expiry on 20 February 2021. We have elected for a shorter consultation period due to the limited scope of the feedback we are seeking.
The consultation period closes at 5pm on Tuesday 15 September 2020.
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Exemption under section 90(1)(b) granted to Julia Hoare
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We have granted an exemption under section 90(1)(b) of the Electricity Industry Act 2010 (Act) to Julia Hoare in relation to her appointment as a director of Meridian Energy Limited while also a director of Auckland International Airport Limited. Section 90 permits the Authority to grant exemptions from obligations in Part 3 of the Act, which relate to the separation of distribution from certain generation and retailing activities. Ms Hoare has been exempted from compliance with sections 75, 77 to 79 and 88 of the Act, on the conditions set out in the Gazette notice.
The exemption came into force on 25 August 2020.
Applications and Gazette notices for exemptions made under Section 90 are available below.
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New consumption data request trends report available on EMI
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The Authority made changes to streamline consumer agent access to historical consumption data that came into effect in March 2020. These changes were aimed at addressing issues with authorisation of requests and included modifications to the EIEP13 formats along with the introduction of terms and conditions that consumer agents must sign up to in order to use the registry transfer hub.
The report summarises consumption request and response activity allowing easy comparison amongst retailers or agents. Users can draw insights from a range of measures including, requests that are declined or unanswered, the average time to respond, or the number of requests that exceed the five business days allowed in the Code.
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Medically dependent consumer and vulnerable consumer guidelines: stakeholder engagement workshop
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The medically dependent consumer and vulnerable consumer guidelines workshop scheduled for 9 September will now be a Zoom-only event. This is because of the current COVID Alert Level situation.
The workshop will be held from 1pm until 5pm, with breaks. Please see below for further details including how to register.
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Wholesale market information disclosure: review of thermal fuels consultation paper closing today
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On 21 July 2020 the Authority published our Wholesale market information disclosure: review of thermal fuel disclosure consultation paper.
Submissions close today at 5pm. Thank you to everyone who has provided a submission.
Submissions will be published on our website in the next couple of days.
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Reminder: cross submissions welcome as part of UTS preliminary decision consultation
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The Authority welcomes cross submissions as part of the consultation on the preliminary decision on the 2019 UTS claim.
Please send your cross submission to the Authority by 5.00pm Wednesday, 9 September 2020. Your cross submissions will be published so if you need to include material that is confidential, please mark it as such and provide the Authority a copy that is able to be published.
The UTS preliminary decision and submissions are available below.
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Wholesale market information disclosure
Ending today at 5pm
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Integration of hosting capacity into Part 6 of the Code, sunset clause
Ending today at 5pm
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Authority's proposal to close the retailer debt deferral scheme
Ending: 15/09/2020 5pm
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Removing requirement for FTR manager to calculate the amount of LCE to be applied to FTRs
Ending: 29/09/2020 5pm
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Level 7, Harbour Tower, 2 Hunter Street, PO Box 10041, Wellington 6143, New Zealand
Tel: + 64 4 460 8860 Email: communications@ea.govt.nz
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