Meeting the continuing challenge of affordability:

IPART’s draft determination for regulated retail electricity prices from 1 July 2012, sets out an average price increase of 16.4% across the three distribution areas of NSW. PIAC’s submission to IPART discusses the impact this increase will have on vulnerable consumers, particularly in light of the repeated electricity price rises in recent years. The submission makes a number of recommendations to help address the issue of electricity affordability in NSW, including changes to customer assistance measures, which PIAC argues should be comprehensively reviewed. The submission also comments on the possible roll out of smart meters in NSW, the impending end of the current regulated price path and the future of price regulation in this state.