Delivering on the Victorian Government’s election promise to ban new embedded networks.
In 2018, the Victorian Government announced an election commitment to ban embedded networks in new residential apartment buildings, with exemptions for buildings that use renewable energy to deliver low-cost renewable energy to apartment buildings.
This commitment was made in response to ongoing concerns that customers currently living in embedded networks pay higher prices and do not have access to the same level of consumer protections as those who live outside of embedded networks.
An expert panel was appointed to conduct an extensive review and develop recommendations to present to the government on how best to implement the ban.
In January 2021 the panel released an issues paper setting out key issues related to the review and sought stakeholder feedback. In June 2021, the Panel released a draft report that set out 16 recommendations and provided stakeholders with a clear understanding of the panel’s proposal.
In January 2022, the Panel released its final recommendations report, informed by extensive public consultation and stakeholder feedback. The panel consulted broadly with the public and other consumer, industry, regulatory and government stakeholders to identify issues develop solutions and finalise the paper.
The government has now published its formal response to the embedded networks review, supporting all 16 recommendations, either in full or in part.
The ban will be initially implemented through amendments to the General Exemption Order (GEO) to introduce a renewable energy condition. This is expected to take effect from early 2023.
The renewable energy condition will give effect to the ban, as embedded network operators who are not willing or able to meet the condition will not be able to legally operate new embedded networks in Victoria. Read More…