❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding household electricity consumption, billing, and disconnections since March 15, 2020, with detailed responses from Horizon Power and Synergy. The responses highlight increased residential electricity consumption, payment deferrals, and a temporary halt to disconnections due to COVID-19.
AnsweredQoN 6163Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Since 15 March 2020, has household (non-business) electricity consumption increased, decreased or remained steady when compared to the same period of time last year? (2) How much has household electricity consumption changed (kWh or MWh) since 15 March 2020 when compared to the same period of time last year - in total and as an average of the number of households during that period? (3) How much (dollars) has State Government revenue for household electricity consumption changed since 15 March 2020 when compared to the same period of time last year - in total and as an average of the number of households billed during that period? (4) How many households have applied to have their electricity bill payments deferred since 15 March 2020? (5) How many households have been successful in their application to have their electricity bill payments deferred since 15 March 2020? (6) How many households have been charged with interest for late payment of an electricity bill since 15 March 2020 and what is the total amount of interest charged? (7) How many households have had interest charges waived for late payment of an electricity bill since 15 March 2020 and what is the total amount of interest waived? (8) Have any households had their electricity supply removed due to non-payment of an account since 15 March 2020 and, if so, how many households have had their electricity supply removed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 June 2020
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy; Industrial Relations
Response time
8 days
The Member should note that residential electricity is subsidised in Western Australia. The A1/A2 tariff is not cost reflective.
Horizon Power
(1) Electricity consumption for residential customers from 15 March 2019 to 21 May 2020 has increased, with April 2020 showing the biggest increase in 2020.
(2) The table below shows how household electricity consumption has changed since 15 March 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019.
2019
2020
Period
Monthly kWh
Average per account
Monthly kWh
Average per account
March
16 - 31
18,342,910.58
540.1646
20,595,883.34
579.2683
April
1 – 30
29,433,083.16
866.7496
34,566,314.85
1030.139
May
1 - 21
15,345,337.62
451.8917
15,498,222.31
461.8752
(3) The table provided shows the total value paid in full by the due date for the years 2019 and 2020, for amounts billed and paid between 15 March and the end of May – thereby showing changes in revenue for household electricity usage since 15 March 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.
As electricity consumption is not charged for in the same month that it is consumed, and amounts owed may not be paid on time or at all, this is not the same as the costs incurred in each month.
Billing is done on a two-monthly basis, meaning amounts shown as paid are for two month periods, and include both consumption and supply charges.
2019
2020
Period
Payment amount by due date
Average per account
Payment amount by due date
Average per account
March
16 - 31
$5,705,533.65
$484.14
$5,191,939.58
$443.00
April
1 – 30
$9,697,083.36
$502.31
$10,514,175.52
$494.39
May
1 - 30
$8,191,334.34
$418.82
$7,998,877.56
$401.87
(4) Since 15 March 2020, 2,769 individual customers have applied for payment deferral or requested a payment arrangement.
(5) All residential requests to have payments deferred have been successful.
(6) Horizon Power does not charge interest for late payment on residential bills.
(7) Horizon Power does not charge interest for late payment on residential bills.
(8) Thirty-two households have had their electricity supply removed due to non-payment between 15 and 18 March 2020. No households have been de-energised since 18 March 2020.
Synergy
(1-3) Without communications enabled advanced metering in all homes Synergy is unable to drill down into individual household electricity consumption for specific time periods and can only report on its generation output or retail sales in broad terms.
Analysis of data to determine if electricity is being used by a household or a business would take considerable resources away from Synergy’s core business activities
Synergy’s bi-monthly billing cycle does not allow for immediate reporting of electricity consumption.
(4-5) 101,085 payment deferrals for individual customers were administered from 15 March 2020 to 26 May 2020.
(6) Following a decision made by Synergy and the McGowan Labor Government, from 1 April 2020 no interest, collection fees or dishonour fees are being charged on deferred bill payments for customers experiencing COVID-19-related financial hardship.
Interest charged to franchise* (non-contestable) customers in March 2020 is below:
MONTH
NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS CHARGED
INTEREST CHARGED
March 2020
3,683
$27,255.19
*Franchise customers include some business customers
(7) In April and May 2020 interest waived on accounts (residential and small business) totalled $708,674.80.
Synergy’s systems are not able to extract the requested data for residential accounts alone.
(8) Yes. 340. Disconnections stopped on 24 March 2020 following a decision made by Synergy and the McGowan Labor Government.
Horizon Power
(1) Electricity consumption for residential customers from 15 March 2019 to 21 May 2020 has increased, with April 2020 showing the biggest increase in 2020.
(2) The table below shows how household electricity consumption has changed since 15 March 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019.
2019
2020
Period
Monthly kWh
Average per account
Monthly kWh
Average per account
March
16 - 31
18,342,910.58
540.1646
20,595,883.34
579.2683
April
1 – 30
29,433,083.16
866.7496
34,566,314.85
1030.139
May
1 - 21
15,345,337.62
451.8917
15,498,222.31
461.8752
(3) The table provided shows the total value paid in full by the due date for the years 2019 and 2020, for amounts billed and paid between 15 March and the end of May – thereby showing changes in revenue for household electricity usage since 15 March 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.
As electricity consumption is not charged for in the same month that it is consumed, and amounts owed may not be paid on time or at all, this is not the same as the costs incurred in each month.
Billing is done on a two-monthly basis, meaning amounts shown as paid are for two month periods, and include both consumption and supply charges.
2019
2020
Period
Payment amount by due date
Average per account
Payment amount by due date
Average per account
March
16 - 31
$5,705,533.65
$484.14
$5,191,939.58
$443.00
April
1 – 30
$9,697,083.36
$502.31
$10,514,175.52
$494.39
May
1 - 30
$8,191,334.34
$418.82
$7,998,877.56
$401.87
(4) Since 15 March 2020, 2,769 individual customers have applied for payment deferral or requested a payment arrangement.
(5) All residential requests to have payments deferred have been successful.
(6) Horizon Power does not charge interest for late payment on residential bills.
(7) Horizon Power does not charge interest for late payment on residential bills.
(8) Thirty-two households have had their electricity supply removed due to non-payment between 15 and 18 March 2020. No households have been de-energised since 18 March 2020.
Synergy
(1-3) Without communications enabled advanced metering in all homes Synergy is unable to drill down into individual household electricity consumption for specific time periods and can only report on its generation output or retail sales in broad terms.
Analysis of data to determine if electricity is being used by a household or a business would take considerable resources away from Synergy’s core business activities
Synergy’s bi-monthly billing cycle does not allow for immediate reporting of electricity consumption.
(4-5) 101,085 payment deferrals for individual customers were administered from 15 March 2020 to 26 May 2020.
(6) Following a decision made by Synergy and the McGowan Labor Government, from 1 April 2020 no interest, collection fees or dishonour fees are being charged on deferred bill payments for customers experiencing COVID-19-related financial hardship.
Interest charged to franchise* (non-contestable) customers in March 2020 is below:
MONTH
NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS CHARGED
INTEREST CHARGED
March 2020
3,683
$27,255.19
*Franchise customers include some business customers
(7) In April and May 2020 interest waived on accounts (residential and small business) totalled $708,674.80.
Synergy’s systems are not able to extract the requested data for residential accounts alone.
(8) Yes. 340. Disconnections stopped on 24 March 2020 following a decision made by Synergy and the McGowan Labor Government.
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