Hon. Kate Doust questions the Minister for Energy regarding potential increases in electricity network tariffs for residential customers following the Economic Regulation Authority's draft decision. The Minister's response delays commitment until the ERA's final determination.

AnsweredQoN 839Legislative Council
Asked
9 September 2009
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

SOUTH WEST INTERCONNECTED GRID — NETWORK TARIFFS
I refer to the Economic Regulation Authority’s draft decision on Western Power’s proposed access arrangement revisions for the south west interconnected grid. (1) Will Synergy absorb the proposed increases in Western Power’s network charges, or will the increases be passed on to residential customers in accordance with the government’s policy to implement cost reflective tariffs? (2) When can business and residential customers expect to face these higher electricity charges? (3) By what percentage will residential electricity bills rise? (4) In dollar terms, by how much will an average residential electricity bill rise? (5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(1) Will Synergy absorb the proposed increases in Western Power’s network charges, or will the increases be passed on to residential customers in accordance with the government’s policy to implement cost reflective tariffs? (2) When can business and residential customers expect to face these higher electricity charges? (3) By what percentage will residential electricity bills rise? (4) In dollar terms, by how much will an average residential electricity bill rise? (5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(2) When can business and residential customers expect to face these higher electricity charges? (3) By what percentage will residential electricity bills rise? (4) In dollar terms, by how much will an average residential electricity bill rise? (5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(3) By what percentage will residential electricity bills rise? (4) In dollar terms, by how much will an average residential electricity bill rise? (5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(4) In dollar terms, by how much will an average residential electricity bill rise? (5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(5) Do budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the ERA decision on residential electricity tariffs? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(1) No decisions will be made by government on electricity tariffs until it can consider the outcomes of the Economic Regulation Authority’s final determination on Western Power’s electricity network tariffs. The ERA’s final decision is not expected until late in the year and may well result in network tariffs that are quite different from those indicated in the draft decision. (2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(2) Timing on any electricity retail tariff increases will be determined at the time of considering the final network tariff determination. (3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(3)-(4) Please refer to (1). (5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.
(5) Whether budget price path assumptions fully account for the impact of the network tariff assumptions will only be known after the ERA’s final decision is made and the government has decided how retail tariffs may reflect increased network tariffs.

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