Wholesale electricity prices in Victoria and South Australia have risen since the closure of the Hazelwood Power Station in 2017, according to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), with other states in the National Electricity Market (NEM) also affected. The AER made the findings in a report to the COAG Energy Council under its new wholesale market monitoring powers and in […]
Retail
Energy retailers will need to make it easier to find a better electricity deal by publishing their best offer on bills as part of new changes announced by the Victorian Government. The Essential Services Commission (ESC) will also monitor and regularly report on the competitiveness of Victoria’s energy retail market. The changes are part of the Victorian Government’s interim response […]
How energy retailers can ease surging power prices
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Electricity, Retail 0Today new technologies are allowing energy retailers to restyle the industry, allowing customers to take control of their electricity usage and combat surging power bills. Here, Paul Loftus, Head of Customer Sales at Powershop, talks about how implementing innovative and disruptive technologies can optimise the customer experience. Electricity prices have jumped 12.4 per cent in the last two years, according […]
Recommendations to keep Goulburn-Murray Water costs down
Utility Journalist Irrigation, News, Retail, Water 0The Strategic Advisory Council has reviewed the operations of Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) and released recommendations to keep prices down for customers and irrigators, and to support the future growth of the irrigation district across Northern Victoria. The recommendations, which will be implemented by 2020, include: Creating a simplified business structure for better community transparency A transformation panel will be appointed […]
Sydney Water’s once in a generation transformation to put customers first
Charlotte Pordage Digital Utilities, Features, Projects, Retail, Telecommunications, Water 0by Sian Leydon, General Manager, Customer, Strategy and Regulation, Sydney Water Over the last 128 years, Sydney Water has always cared about our customers. Today’s customers generally are better informed, better connected and more demanding than ever before. In the age of the customer, essential service providers are no longer shielded from increasing customer expectations. The reality is that the world is changing […]
Smartphone app helps customers cut electricity bills
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Electricity, News, Retail 0Residents in Western Australia can now save money on their electricity bills by using their smartphone. Horizon Power customers can download the Horizon Power free app which enables them to see how and when they are using electricity, as well as estimating what their next bill is likely to be. Horizon Power’s Manager Customer Service, Terry Absolon, said the app […]
Final rule supports a competitive market
Utility Journalist Batteries & Storage, Electricity, News, Policy, Retail, Solar 0The Australian Market Energy Commission (AEMC) has made a final rule in support of a competitive market in ‘behind the meter’ batteries and other distributed energy resources by limiting distribution network businesses’ ability to own and control these assets. Under the final rule, distribution network businesses will be restricted from earning regulated returns on distributed energy resources installed behind the […]
Report reveals increase in East Coast Gas supply
Utility Journalist Gas, News, Retail, Spotlight, Sustainability 0The ACCC has released the second interim report into gas supply markets in Australia, focusing on the operation of the East Coast Gas Market where there are continuing immediate and longer-term concerns. The report found that over the past few months, Queensland LNG producers have diverted significant quantities of gas into the domestic market. LNG producers have contracted 42 petajoules […]
A new report released by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has found that Australian electricity networks are improving their productivity at the fastest rate in more than a decade, resulting in lower electricity bills for customers. The AER annual benchmarking report tracks the performance of electricity networks and this data informs the amount networks charge their customers. Energy Networks Australia […]
Report for embedded networks released
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Electricity, Embedded networks, News, Retail 0The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has released its final review on the arrangements for customers who purchase power from their embedded network provider instead of buying direct from electricity retailers. The AEMC’s Review of regulatory arrangements for embedded networks final report recommended new rules and laws to give these electricity customers more access to retail competition and consumer protections. […]
Review into NEM regulatory frameworks
Utility Journalist Electricity, News, Renewable Energy, Retail, Solar, Wind 0The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) have published an issues paper regarding its review of the regulatory and market frameworks needed to support frequency control in the national electricity market (NEM). The generation mix is changing. As newer types of generators like wind and solar come in, and conventional generators like coal retire, this is presenting challenges for the […]
Let Google bill you for all your electricity, gas, phone and every other utility
Lauren Cella Electricity, News, Retail, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Rodney Stewart, Griffith University Soaring electricity prices in Australia are putting pressure on people to make some tough decisions and seek cheaper deals. The idea of saving money by bundling electricity and gas from the same retailer has been around for some time. Some companies can even add telephone and internet services to your bill. But what if Google or […]
Gas supply shortfall three times higher than originally estimated
Lauren Cella Gas, News, Policy, Retail, Spotlight 0New reports by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and Australian Competition and Consumer Competition (ACCC) have predicted gas supply shortages will be considerably higher for eastern and south-eastern Australia than what was estimated six months ago. The AEMO’s update to the 2017 Gas Statement of Opportunities, and ACCC’s Gas Inquiry 2017-20 Interim Report focus on likely supply and demand […]
NHP brings to market the EXEL-L and the EVL High Bay LED lighting ranges from Cortem, perfectly suited to all applications within hazardous environments. These ranges promise the most efficient LED technology as they are designed to achieve the highest lumen output per watt rating on the Australian and New Zealand market. These products prove to be not only market leaders, but also offer […]
When it comes to vehicles to help service the utility industry, clients are after a product that can be fully customisable to the job it needs to perform. MFI Service Bodies understand the requirements of commercial vehicles, and they offer a range of solutions that can meet the needs of almost any application. MFI Service Bodies know commercial vehicles and […]
Innovative trial to evolve traditional electricity market
Utility Journalist Electricity, News, Renewable Energy, Retail, Spotlight, Wind 0The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and South Australia’s Hornsdale Stage 2 Wind Farm are collaborating to trial whether a wind farm can provide important power system stability services. Hornsdale Stage 2 has been developed by French renewable energy company Neoen in conjunction with international infrastructure investor, John Laing. Slated to begin in October […]
Tenants at the Sydney CBD high rise apartment building, “Windsor Plaza” have seen significant water and costs savings following the completion of Sydney Water’s new WaterFix Strata Service program. The 154 Windsor Plaza apartment block in Sussex St was originally built in 1987 and recently won the Strata Community Environmental and Engagement Award at the Strata Community Associations 2017 CHU Strata […]
Rising gas prices continue to be a sore point for manufacturers, with many fearing the crisis will cause widespread job losses in the sector. Chemistry Australia CEO, Samantha Read, said manufacturers in the Australian chemistry industry are not seeing an end to rising east coast gas prices. “While there has been some important Government action, the crisis is not over,” […]
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has issued its draft decision on Australian Gas Networks’ (AGN) Victorian and Albury access arrangement for its natural gas customers for the five year period beginning 1 January 2018. The draft decision is in response to AGN’s Final Plan, which was submitted to the AER on 23 December 2016. In particular, the AER: Recommends an […]
New wholesale plans on the Sky Muster satellite service are planned to deliver better value broadband to more than 240,000 homes and businesses in regional and rural Australia. nbn announced it will be doubling the maximum monthly wholesale data limits and increasing average peak downloads plans by up to 50 per cent on the Sky Muster platform. As a result, […]
Australian Gas Networks (AGN) has undertaken cost comparisons and found that a South Australian household can save as much as $1100 a year by using natural gas instead of electricity to fuel hot water service systems. From 1 July 2017, retail electricity prices will increase by an average of 17.5 per cent, while retail prices for natural gas are increasing […]
The perfect customer platform for the modern utility
Lauren Cella Digital Utilities, News, Retail, Sponsored Editorial 0A new customer to meter offering slashes tech costs by 25 per cent and combines the full power of customer information systems and meter data management systems Oracle has unveiled Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter, a comprehensive meter-to-cash solution for today’s customer-first utility. Oracle Utilities Customer to Meter is the first offering to combine a market-leading customer information system (CIS) […]
The launch of South East Water’s bill simulator will give households across Melbourne’s south east a unique opportunity to help shape their water bills over the next five years. Customers can log on to the simulator and make choices about which initiatives and services could be reduced, kept or enhanced to deliver better value. Choices relate to investment in service […]
The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of implementing a digital strategy
Lauren Cella Digital Utilities, Electricity, Gas, News, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Telecommunications, Water 0With new digital technologies entering the market, the utilities industry is facing increasing pressure to improve both operational performance and customer relationships, and adopting a strategy to incorporate these technologies is imperative. In 2016, a report by IDC Energy Insights found external pressures on utilities for digital transformation are huge. “As consumers are empowered by the proliferation of IT interfaces […]
Government investment to lower electricity prices in QLD
Utility Journalist Electricity, News, Policy, Retail 0The Queensland Government is set to invest $770 million in an attempt to lower energy prices for consumers in response to an increase in regional electricity prices set by the independent Queensland Competition Authority (QCA). Queensland Treasurer, Curtis Pitt, said the QCA’s final determination on regulated retail electricity prices for regional Queensland in 2017-18 is unacceptable and the Queensland Government […]
The hidden cost in wastewater discharge non-compliance
Lauren Cella News, Policy, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Wastewater discharge non-compliance can be costly – not only will it affect your bottom line profitability through increased charges, fines and increased monitoring costs, it can make future negotiations with your water authority, at best, ‘testy’. If you are discharging wastewater to an EPA-controlled water body, the cost may be substantially higher. One piece of negative media coverage of just […]
How can utilities reduce non-revenue water?
Lauren Cella Asset management, Condition Assessment, News, Pipelines, Pumps, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0Non-revenue water within utility networks is a huge source of wastage that adds to operating costs and creates complications. There is a solution with products available for utilities which will help reduce water loss and keep water in pipes. Leakage is not necessarily caused by a hole in the pipe, metering inaccuracies or leaking joints, it may also be caused […]
Top five ways to incorporate cloud at your utility
Lauren Cella Digital Utilities, News, Retail, Sponsored Editorial, Telecommunications 0The utility industry is in the midst of significant transformation with new technology approaches facilitating agility and innovation while at the same time decreasing upfront investment risk. One of the these new technologies utilities around the world are turning to is the cloud. The cloud provides utilities with an attractive alternative to traditional, on-premise software delivery with its ability to […]
Oracle Utilities launches smart grid and IoT device management solution
Lauren Cella Digital Utilities, IOT, News, Retail, Smart meters, Sponsored Editorial 0Oracle has introduced Oracle Utilities Operational Device Cloud Service (ODCS), a new cloud offering that enables utilities to further automate the management of their grid assets and devices, at a total lower cost of ownership. The utilities industry is going through tremendous transformation as a result of Internet of Things (IoT) and increasing distributed energy resources. The US alone has […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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