The Australian Energy Regulator has issued the 2010 electricity performance report for the Victorian distribution network service providers (DNSPs).
The report presents the 2010 financial and service quality performance of Victoria's five electricity DNSPs:
- CitiPower
- Jemena Electricity Networks
- Powercor
- SP AusNet
- United Energy Distribution.
The report aims to provide greater transparency about the financial and service quality performance of the distributors. It compares performance over time, since 1999, and between businesses to encourage improved services for customers.
When extreme events outside the DNSPs' control are excluded, the Victorian DNSPs reported improved supply reliability, compared to 2009. The AER notes that 2009 was a particularly bad year for reliability for service due to the heatwave experienced in Victoria.
Unplanned minutes-off-supply and unplanned interruptions are two key indicators of customer reliability. The report found that compared with 2009, the unplanned minutes-off-supply fell by 27 per cent and there was a 16 per cent decrease in the number of unplanned interruptions.
In addition, improved reliability in 2010 has generally meant a large decrease in guaranteed service level payments to customers who experienced particularly poor levels of reliability. However, there were increases in payments for failure to be on time for appointments arranged with customers.
AER chairman Andrew Reeves said that the improved reliability performance was principally due to less extreme weather in 2010.
"While all businesses improved reliability in 2010, Jemena Electricity Networks was the only business which met the performance target set by the previous regulator, for unplanned minutes-off-supply."
Mr Reeves said the AER has increased the financial penalties and bonuses for performance from 2011 to strengthen the incentives for the businesses to provide better services for customers.
"The financial returns for these businesses over the period 2006 to 2010, were consistently higher than forecast. This is due to sales being above and costs being below the amounts forecast in 2005," Mr Reeves said.
This report is the final in a series of distribution service performance reports previously published by the Essential Services Commission of Victoria (ESCV), which, after the transfer of economic regulation from the ESCV to the AER in January 2009, have been produced by the AER.