The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has today released the Retail of Last Resort (RoLR) guidelines, plan and statement of approach (final RoLR package).
The National Energy Retail Law (Retail Law) introduces a new national RoLR framework. The Retail Law makes provision for a national RoLR scheme principally designed to ensure that in the event of retailer failure, arrangements are in place to ensure that customers continue to receive electricity and/or gas supply. To support these functions, the Law provides wide ranging functions and powers to the AER to oversee the RoLR scheme.
The final RoLR package has been prepared by the AER to outline stakeholder obligations under the RoLR scheme and assist stakeholders understand the operation of the whole RoLR framework.
The AER commenced consultation on its power and functions under the RoLR scheme with the release of an issues paper in November 2010. This was followed by the release of a notice of draft instruments, the draft RoLR guidelines, the draft RoLR plan and draft RoLR statement of approach in July 2011. These papers and written submissions received in response to them are available at the AER's website.The AER used the earlier consultations to develop the final RoLR package.
The notice of final instrument and the guideline have been published on the AER's website in accordance with the retail consultation procedure set out in clause 173 of the National Energy Retail Rules.