1. Power of choice Presented to industry participants 28/29 March 2017
Michael Monck – Power of Choice Program Manager

2. What is power of choice? Metering competition
Meter replacement processes
Embedded networks
Shared market protocols
Demand response mechanisms
Customer access to data
Multiple trading relationships
The Power of Choice reforms date back to around COAG (The Council of Australian Governments) requested a review into the electricity market with a view to increasing competition and improving efficiency.
The reforms coming out of the review centre around 7 main areas which are shown on the slides. The last of these, Multiple Trading Relationships has been dropped from the reform package while the others remain.
We’ll deal with Metering Competition and Meter Replacement Processes in a moment.
Embedded Network reforms are designed to allow off market customers access to on market deals. That is, someone in a retirement village or a shopping centre can gain access to retail deals instead of being forced to buy from the landlord.
Shared Market Protocols is all about how various market participants interact with each other and the protocols that are employed to facilitate these interactions. This includes how retailers send market requests such as connection requests to distributors and, in future, to their chosen Metering Coordinator.
Those parts of the reform package included in the Demand Response Mechanisms are all about improving transparency about the consequences of consumption decisions. This will include price signals that are clear to consumers so they can make informed decisions about when and how much energy they consume. This may also include in home devices to show energy usage, pricing and so forth.
The last part of the reform is related to customer access to data. One of the key problems with energy consumption decisions is knowing the impacts of your decisions and being able to react to circumstances appropriately. A large part of this stems from the intertemporal problem associated with the disconnect between consumption and when a customer gets their bill. Having access to data in between bills reduces this problem and allows energy users to better understand how their lifestyle affects their consumption patterns. Importantly, this reform does not rely on the use of smart metering technology, however, the lack of this technology does mean that real time data won’t be available.

3. Electricity Service & Installation Rules
Today’s focus is on…
Processes
Training
Electricity Service & Installation Rules
Licensing
Supply chain notes
Supply – large generators, coal, gas, solar, wind, etc.
Transmission – poles and wires at very high voltages. Generally 110kV and up
Distribution – AAD, HV and LV network. Underground and overhead.
Meter – at the point of supply. Currently most are owned and maintained by AAD. In future the retailer will be responsible for the meter.
Consumers – homes, businesses, etc. with or without small scale embedded generation.
The retailer does not have a physical presence in the market. Their role is an administrative one and involves managing the relationship with the customer.

4. The new world New services Technology Tariffs New roles
Metering coordinator
Changes to existing roles
Distribution
Retailers
Will allow for real time reading of meters. Remote management – de-en, re-en – demand management, etc.

5. Old structure
Note that the distributor is often the MP and the MDP in the present scenario.
Many meters (type 6) require manual reading – a person to attend site on a quarterly basis – as well as the back end data management roles.

6. New structure
New role of the MC who may be the MP and/or the MDP but is not compelled to be either. They may outsource these functions if they choose. There may also be more than one entity performing each of these roles and one entity may perform the roles for more than one retailer.
Who is the MC?
How many of each role?

7. Market roles
Role and responsibilities of existing Responsible Person role to be performed by Metering Coordinator with new responsibilities added. Has primary responsibility for the provision of metering services, including protecting security of, and access to, small customers’ advanced meters, the data they contain and the services they provide.
Can fund the deployment of advanced meters as part of a demand management program but will need to work with retailers. Can negotiate with Metering Coordinator for advance metering services and/or retain existing network devices. Also retains current LNSP responsibilities.
Role involves installing, operating and maintaining metering installation. Additional requirements in relation to security controls and confidentiality.
Role involves collecting, processing and storing metering data. Additional requirements in relation to security controls and confidentiality.

8. Processes Connection & energisation of installations
Who?
When?
Faults and emergencies
Contact points
New responsibilities

9. How do we connect in future?
A network and premises.

10. How do we connect in future?
Network belongs to distributor

11. How do we connect in future?
Who is responsible for connecting the premises.

12. How do we connect in future?
The account holder for the premises then appoints a retailer…

13. How do we connect in future?
…who appoints the MC…

14. How do we connect in future?
..who has a relationship with the MP…

15. How do we connect in future?
The MP is the one who physically installs the meter into the premises.

16. Energisation process
Chicken and egg. Can’t energise until the premises have a meter but can’t hang a meter until the premises have a physical connection. So who energises?

17. Energisation process
Chicken and egg. Can’t energise until the premises have a meter but can’t hang a meter until the premises have a physical connection. So who energises?

18. Energisation process

19. Energisation process

20. Energisation process

21. Who is responsible for faults?

22. Who is responsible for faults now?
Distributor
Electrician
Network faults
Meter faults
Installation faults

23. Who will be responsible for faults?
Distributor
Electrician
Retailer
Network faults
Meter faults
Installation faults

24. Who will be responsible for faults?
Distributor
Electrician
Retailer
Network faults
Meter faults
Installation faults
In future the retailer will be responsible for determining where the fault is. They can query the meter and identify what the problem is.
No response – probably a meter fault
A response with power – probably an installation fault
A response with no power – probably a network fault
The retailer will have access to the meter to query it in future

25. Electricity Service & Installation Rules
Connection and energisation of installations
Who?
When?
Faults and emergencies
Contact points
New responsibilities

26. Overview of changes Neutral links Meter board Isolation points
Location
Access
Locking
Isolation points
Service protection devices
Meter protection devices
Network boundary clarity
Other things:
Meter board layout
Meter board sizes
Meter board clearances

27. Neutral links Neutral links New requirement for a service neutral link
Must be sealable
Must be clearly labelled
May be on the rear of the panel
Who seals the links?
We are working on a system to allow the links to be sealed by a third party. We need to think about sealing pliers, etc.

28. Meter panels Layout Location Locks Access Is it a free for all?
Who decides? Not within legal remit of ActewAGL Distribution
Locks
Currently supplied by AAD but who now?
Access
How does the DNSP/MP/Electrician/etc. get access?
Other things:
Meter board layout
Meter board sizes
Meter board clearances

29. Protection and isolation
SPD
May be dual function (SPD & MPD) for single metered installations
MPD
One per metered installation
Isolation
Each metering installation must have an isolation point
Single installations versus multiple installations.
One SPD per ‘site’, one MPD per metered installation (note: this does not mean per meter).
Isolation points – one per metered installation, may be combined with SPD or MPD (depending on the number of metered installations at a site).

30. Where will the changes be detailed?
S&I Rules
This maintains the status quo and avoids creating a new document
Code
Time consuming to change
Individual metering provider
Disparate requirements across ACT
S&I Rules – has limited enforceability under the law and needs to be given power.
Advantage – has oversight of government and must be approved – AAD can’t steam roll the process. It’s not another set of rules or another new document to become familiar with and stay up to date with (it is maintaining the status quo)
Disadvantage – has no power at the moment, would require change to Utilities (Electricity Service and Installation Rules Code) Determination 2013 or another instrument.
Codes – are hard to change and time consuming. Lack of ability to adjust with progress.
Individual metering providers – may result in wildly different requirements across the ACT.

31. Training Electrical safety rules Licensing (Blue book) S&I Rules
Late 2017
Licensing
ACT Government
New responsibilities
Those wishing to work on the network (energise and isolate) will need to undertake the training.
Yearly refresher.
Current cost is $350pp

32. Discussion paper Background ACT Government S&I Rules
AAD training and accreditation
Access to information
ACT Government
Licensing
Roles and responsibilities

33. Recent developments Victoria Opted out of metering competition
Current AMI system to remain

34. Timeline

35. Queries and comments
(02)

36. Abbreviations AMI – advanced metering infrastructure
MDP – metering data provider
MP – metering provider
DNSP – Distribution network service provider
MPD – meter protection device
LNSP – Local network service provider
S&I Rules – service and installation rules
MC – metering coordinator
SPD – service protection device