On 14 October 2024, Ergon Energy submitted an application for a waiver from clauses 3.1(b) and 4.2 of the Ring-fencing Guideline (Electricity distribution) (the guideline) to provide field services on behalf of Powerlink.
These field services would include operating, maintaining, constructing and refurbishing Powerlink owned or controlled transmission assets in Ergon Energy’s distribution area which covers regional and remote areas of Queensland.
Ergon Energy currently holds a waiver to provide these services to Powerlink, however the waiver expires on 30 June 2025. As such, Ergon Energy has applied for a renewal of their existing waiver until 2035.
Consultation is currently open and interested parties are invited to make written submissions to the AER regarding this consultation by close of business, 24 January 2025.
On a related but separate matter to this specific waiver assessment, the AER is currently consulting on changing the terms on the duration of waivers in the guideline. This would allow the AER to consider what is the most appropriate term for a waiver, including for a longer period than is currently allowable – including for this Ergon waiver renewal application.