The Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC) reviewed the Accredited Service Provider (ASP) Scheme to examine the continued need for and arrangements to deliver contestable energy connection services regulated through the Scheme.
OECC engaged a third party to undertake a comprehensive and independent Scheme Review.
We released an Issues Paper for comment in June 2021, and received 42 written submissions in response, some of them very detailed. We also received input from direct consultation with a sample of ASP providers, NECA and with the three electricity distributors.
A Position Paper summarised the responses and presented the options for comment from 10 December 2021 to 25 February 2022. We received 24 written submissions to the Position Paper.
The feedback from this consultation has shaped the 34 recommendations detailed in the Final Report.
If you have any questions about the review, please send your query to asp.consultation@planning.nsw.gov.au.
The recommendations of the final report
The report confirms the relevance of the Scheme and that it assures the competence of participants, improves access for consumers and makes a positive contribution to safety.
The final report presents 34 recommendations that:
- confirm the administration of the Scheme should continue by OECC
- outline improvements to the administration of the Scheme to deliver enhanced customer service through a new digital platform that is self-service, trackable, searchable to the public and is coupled with improved information
- support a redraft of the Scheme rules to improve clarity, update training requirements and improve understanding by all stakeholders
- support considering expanding the scope of the Scheme to extend the Scheme benefits to additional contestable services and provide more choice to consumers
- support the improvement of regulatory compliance in both Scheme participation and delivery, supported by the new digital platform and an inspection regime
- outline the value of long-term governance improvements, including the establishment of an advisory body, regular training requirement reviews, realignment of Scheme fees, more regular Scheme reviews and public reporting on performance in delivering the Scheme.
Implementation of the report recommendations
The OECC supports or supports-in-principle all 34 recommendations of the final report. OECC will continue to administer the Scheme and has initiated work to address all recommendations.
Progress is underway on customer service delivery improvements and the revisions of the Scheme rules. Work to deliver a new digital administrative platform will commence in 2023 along with the establishment of an advisory body to oversee and guide the implementation of the broader recommendations.
Implementation of all recommendations is expected to be delivered over the next four years. The work is intended to be staged across this period with input and engagement with industry.
If you have any questions about the review, please send your query to asp.consultation@planning.nsw.gov.au.
About the review
The ASP Scheme review examined the continued need for and arrangements to deliver contestable electricity connection services regulated through the scheme.
The ASP Scheme was introduced in 1995 to provide consumers who need to connect to the electricity distribution network with access to a competent and competitive market of service providers. Since the last extensive review of the scheme in 2010:
- the estimated value of contestable works has increased substantially
- Power of Choice metering arrangements have commenced
- renewable energy generation and its connection to the grid has increased
- safety management and customer service expectations have changed.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for the ASP Scheme review centre on these questions:
- Does the current ASP Scheme address its intended purpose of supporting contestable services?
- To what extent does the scheme deliver against the objectives of competence, consumer access and safety?
- What arrangements are needed to ensure the scheme administration meets contemporary customer service expectations?
- What arrangements are needed to ensure the scheme is responsive to industry change, technological advancements and training updates into the future?