Engagements + materials
1:1 meetings | Transmission customers
Purpose: 1:1 meetings with TasNetworks transmission customers to inform them of pricing impacts specific to their business, inclusive of contingent projects, ahead of the submission of the Revised Proposal in late November 2023.
Location: mix of in-person and online.
Attendees: 11 transmission customers and eight TasNetworks staff.
Materials:
Online forum | Stakeholders
Purpose: to provide participants with an overview of TasNetworks’ Revised Proposal ahead of its submission to the Australian Energy Regulator by 30 November 2023, with a key focus on identifying what has changed since the submission of the Original Proposal in January 2023.
Location: online only
Attendees: 56 interested stakeholders, including representatives from TasNetworks' representative voices groups, retailers, generators and transmission customers.
Materials
Workshop | TasNetworks combined advisory groups (Policy and Regulatory Working Group | Customer Council | Reset Advisory Committee)
Purpose: Inform all advisory groups of the following:
- Overview of AER Draft Decision
- Contingent project triggers + price impacts
- North West Transmission Development update
- Marinus Link updated costs and benefits.
Location: blended (online and TasNetworks' Maria Street offices)
Invitees: PRWG members, CC members, RAC members, AER representatives, Marinus Link CAP members, TasNetworks executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
Forum | Annual Planning Report 2023
Purpose: Provide stakeholders with an overview of TasNetworks' Annual Planning Report (APR) for 2023.
The session included:
- key highlights of the APR
- project update for the North West Transmission Developments
- new ways for the network and customers to create value (Future Distribution System).
Location: Blend of face-to-face and online
Attendees: 29 stakeholders and 16 TasNetworks' executives and supporting staff.
Materials
- Annual Planning Report 2023 (full)
- Annual Planning Report 2023 (summary)
- Forum agenda
- Forum presentation
- Forum report.
AER Webinar | Draft Decision
Purpose: This is an AER-hosted webinar that will include:
- An explanation from the AER regarding their Draft Decision on TasNetworks’ Combined Proposal for the 2024-29 regulatory control period
- A brief presentation from TasNetworks
- A question-and-answer section for stakeholders to ask about the Draft Decision
- Next steps in TasNetworks’ regulatory determination process.
Location: This event is online only, and the AER has indicated attendees must pre-register by 7 October using eventbright (here).
Time: 10-11am.
Who can attend: this webinar is open to the general public and interested stakeholders.
For more information, please visit the AER’s TasNetworks’ Determination page on their website: TasNetworks - Determination 2024–29 | Australian Energy Regulator (aer.gov.au)
Questions about the webinar should be emailed directly to the AER: AERresets2024-29@aer.gov.au
Workshop | TasNetworks combined advisory groups (Policy and Regulatory Working Group | Customer Council | Reset Advisory Committee)
Purpose: Inform all advisory groups of key updates regarding the Government’s renewable energy projects, TasNetworks’ NWTD project, updated revenue forecasts, and AER Issues Paper and information requests.
Location: blended (online and TasNetworks' Maria Street offices)
Attendees: PRWG members, CC members, RAC members, AER representatives, TasNetworks executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Purpose:
- Provide members with an update on Customer Service Incentive Scheme (CSIS) engagement;
- To seek member input into incentive rates and targets with the view to finalising these for submission to the Australian Energy Regulator.
Location: blended (online and TasNetworks' Maria Street offices)
Attendees: PRWG members, CC members, AER representatives, TasNetworks executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Purpose: TasNetworks provided members with updates on the following topics:
- CEO business update
- Energy Charter
- Progress update
- Timeline and maturity assessment process
- Member involvement / feedback
- Revenue Reset Update
- AER Issues Paper overview
- Phase 6 engagement program
Location: blended (online and TasNetworks' Maria Street offices)
Attendees: PRWG members, CC members and TasNetworks executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
Purpose: This was the eighth meeting of the Reset Advisory Committee, which covered:
- Executive business update
- Revenue reset update
- Forward engagement program
- Exercise: stop-start-keep.
Location: TasNetworks' Maria Street offices, and online
Attendees: All six Reset Advisory Committee Members, TasNetworks' executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
AER webinar | TasNetworks Combined Proposal
Purpose: On Tuesday 4 April, the AER hosted a public forum to discuss key aspects of TasNetworks' 2024-29 Combined Proposal which was submitted to the AER on 31 January 2023. Topics included:
- TasNetworks network business presentation
- AER areas of focus
- AER Consumer Challenge Panel (CCP) discussion
- Next Steps
Location: online
Attendees: AER representatives, TasNetworks representatives, interested stakeholders and members of the public.
Materials: Related documents can be downloaded via the AER website:
1:1 meetings | Transmission customers
Purpose: 1:1 meetings with TasNetworks' transmission customers to inform them of pricing impacts directly relevant to their business, ahead of the Combined Proposal submission on 31 January 2023; and to provide a secure space in which they could discuss commercial in confidence issues with subject matter experts from TasNetworks. Topics included:
- Individual price impacts
- Contingent projects
Location: mix of in-person and online
Attendees: transmission customers and supporting staff.
Materials:
Online forum | Interested stakeholders
Purpose: to provide participants with an overview of TasNetworks’ Combined Proposal ahead of its submission to the AER on 31 January 2023, focusing on:
- Customer pricing impacts (transmission and distribution)
- Engagement outcomes
- Combined Proposal highlights.
Location: online only
Attendees: A total of 80 interested stakeholders, including representatives from TasNetworks' representative voices groups, retailers, generators and transmission customers.
Materials
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
Purpose: This was the seventh meeting of the Committee, with the aim of informing them about the following:
- Expenditure forecast and preliminary revenue
- Information and communications technology (ICT)
- Contingent project costs
- Marinus Link update.
Location: TasNetworks' Maria Street offices, and online
Attendees: All six Reset Advisory Committee Members, TasNetworks executives and supporting staff.
Materials:
Online forum | Electricity retailers
Purpose:
- To provide an overview and update on TasNetworks' Revenue Reset program and distribution pricing strategy.
Location: online only
Attendees: 11 representatives from Tasmanian electricity retail organisations, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), the AER Consumer Challenge Panel, and TasNetworks staff.
Materials:
Forum | Annual Planning Report
Purpose:
Provide participants with an overview of TasNetworks’ APR, focusing on:
- Tasmania’s network developments
- Demand, supply and forecast scenarios
- Marinus Link and North West Developments
- TRET and renewable energy zones
- Network security performance
- System strength
- Network asset retirement and replacement
- Network service performance.
Provide participants with an overview of TasNetworks' Future Distribution System (FDS), including:
- FDS vision
- FDS roadmap milestones and highlights.
Location: Blend of face-to-face and online
Attendees: 28 interested stakeholders, plus TasNetworks' executives and supporting staff.
Materials
Online briefing | Electrical Contractors Industry Liaison (ECIL)
Purpose
- Consult with industry representatives regarding TasNetworks’ proposed service – provider of last resort, and the potential associated controls
- Consult with industry representatives regarding TasNetworks’ proposed service – rectification of private assets under fault, and the potential associated controls
- Inform industry representatives about TasNetworks’ proposed position on regulated Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) for the 2024-2029 regulatory control period.
Location: online meeting
Attendees: A total of 10 ECIL members attended this meeting, along with two TasNetworks' staff members. Full attendance can be found in the activity summary report.
Materials:
Online briefing | Electrical Contractors Industry Liaison (ECIL)
Purpose
- Consult with industry representatives regarding TasNetworks’ proposed service – provider of last resort, and the potential associated controls
- Consult with industry representatives regarding TasNetworks’ proposed service – rectification of private assets under fault, and the potential associated controls
- Inform industry representatives about TasNetworks’ proposed position on regulated Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) for the 2024-2029 regulatory control period.
Location: online meeting
Attendees: A total of 29 ECIL members attended this meeting, along with three TasNetworks' staff members. Full attendance can be found in the activity summary report.
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the sixth meeting of TasNetworks' Reset Advisory Committee.
Purpose:
- To inform Members about what we've heard from customers and stakeholders regarding the Draft Plan, and how we're actioning this information
- To seek Member feedback regarding whether they support the overall R24 Draft Plan, and clarify how they will know if their feedback has influenced the Draft
- To inform Members about how the capex stream has considered and responded to customer and stakeholder feedback to-date
- To provide Members with an update about the AER Better Resets Handbook, and TasNetworks' desired pathway for assessment of the Combined Proposal.
Location: blended (online and at Maria Street, Lenah Valley)
Attendees: All six Reset Advisory Committee Members, three Australian Energy Regulator (AER) representatives, two representatives from the AER's Consumer Challenge Panel, and 15 TasNetworks staff - either presenting or supporting.
Materials:
Online forum | Councils
Purpose: to engage with Tasmanian councils about key topics in TasNetworks' 2024-29 Revenue Reset, including:
- R24 program update
- Quoted services
- Distribution connection policy.
Location: online
Attendees: 12 council representatives attended the forum, from a total of 10 of the 29 councils.
Materials
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group
Purpose:
- To conclude discussions regarding new network tariffs for embedded network operators and residential customers with distributed energy resources (DER) being proposed for R24
- To test proposed improvements in the way TasNetworks prices quoted services
- Seek PRWG advice about the topics of importance to customers in relation to network tariff reform
- Brief PRWG members about the proposed Marinus Link undersea interconnector.
Location: Blended (online and at TasNetworks' Lenah Valley offices)
Attendees: 11 PRWG members, several representatives from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and ReCFIT, and six TasNetworks staff.
Materials
Online forum | Stakeholders
Purpose:
- Share outcomes of our revenue reset engagement to-date
- Provide information on our Draft Plan
- Test our proposed content with stakeholders to identify opportunities/ways to refine or reconsider our approach
- Measure comfort levels with the current direction for R24.
Location: online
Attendees: 36 stakeholders from across Tasmania participated in the event, along with supporting TasNetworks staff and engagement consultancy RPS Group. Specific details of participating organisations can be found in the summary report below.
Agenda
- The engagement program overview and feedback themes
- Capital expenditure overview
- Operating expenditure overview
- Proposed revenue and customer pricing
- Contingent projects.
Materials
Public consultation - Draft Plan | Interested stakeholders
Purpose: to publicly share the Draft Plan and seek customer and stakeholder feedback on its contents. A series of questions were posed by TasNetworks for those wanting to make submissions, these can be found in the Draft Plan.
Method: Written submissions were invited.
Participants: seven submissions were received during the consultation period from a range of interested stakeholders.
Materials:
- Draft Plan (full)
- Draft Plan (summary)
- Link to all submissions
- Summary Report
Collaborative Customer Panel (#4) | Individual customers
Purpose:
- Share outcomes of our revenue reset engagement to-date
- Provide information on the R24 Draft Plan
- Test proposed content with customers to identify opportunities/ways to refine or reconsider our approach
- Measure comfort levels with the current direction for R24.
Location: online
Attendees: A total of 21 individual customers attended the online forum, supported by TasNetworks staff and engagement consultant, RPS Group.
Agenda
- The engagement program overview and feedback themes
- How TasNetworks is responding to customer feedback
- Proposed customer pricing.
Materials
Online workshop | Customer Council
Purpose:
- To provide a recap of previous Customer Service Incentive Scheme (CSIS) engagement activities completed in April 2022
- To share the preferred metrics chosen by individual customers versus the Customer Council, and to explore the differences
- To present historical performance based on preferred metrics and potential CSIS targets for each
- To gauge level of support for proposed CSIS measures and targets.
Location: online
Attendees: 11 members of the Customer Council attended this online workshop.
Materials
1:1 meetings | Transmission customers
Purpose: 1:1 meetings with TasNetworks' transmission customers to discuss:
- Preliminary Capital Expenditure Forecast
- Tx Capital Expenditure Forecast
- Tx Revenue Forecast
- Tx Operational Expenditure Forecast
- Indicative Pricing
- Contingent Projects
- Tx Network Strategy
- TasNetworks Transformation Program
Location: mix of in-person and online
Attendees: transmission customers, stakeholders and supporting staff.
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the fifth meeting of TasNetworks' Reset Advisory Committee.
Purpose:
- Provide participants with updated information from the CEO, including the business’ forward strategic direction
- Provide an updated capital expenditure (capex) forecast, share the preliminary revenue forecast and seek participant feedback on their top five priority areas
- Introduce and explain the proposed Information Communication Technology (ICT) capital investment, including major ICT initiatives and programs prior to seeking participant feedback on:
- The expenditure, timing and challenges of ICT expenditure
- Whether the drivers for the step-change in cyber investment were clear
- Provide an introduction to reliability and resilience, and an overview of the Zeehan Reliability Improvement Project prior to seeking participant support regarding:
- The need for the investment proposed in the case study
- The preferred investment option.
Location: blended (online and at Maria Street, Lenah Valley)
Attendees: All six Reset Advisory Committee Members, two Australian Energy Regulator (AER) representatives, three representatives from the AER's Consumer Challenge Panel, and 16 TasNetworks executives and staff either presenting or supporting.
Materials:
Online forum | Local government
Purpose: to engage with and seek feedback from Tasmanian councils about key topics in TasNetworks' 2024-29 Revenue Reset, including:
- R24 program update
- Quoted services
- Distribution connection policy
- Public lighting services
- Preliminary investment outlook
- Pricing overview
- Customer connection and consumption forecasts.
Location: online
Attendees: 24 representatives from Central Highlands Council, Kingborough Council, Clarence City Council, Glenorchy City Council, Waratah Wynyard Council, City of Launceston, George Town Council, Glamorgan Spring Bay Council, Kentish Council, City of Hobart, Meander Valley Council, and TasNetworks representatives.
Materials
Collaborative Customer Panels (#2 and #3) | Individual customers
Between 1 May and 4 June 2022, TasNetworks held two rounds of face-to-face Collaborative Customer Panels with two separate groups as part of Phase 3 of the Revenue Reset engagement program.
Purpose:
- Inform individual customers about TasNetworks, its R24 revenue reset process and how TasNetworks is engaging for R24
- Build understanding about various topics under consideration and the investment trade-offs required
- Capture:
- What is of most importance to customers in relation to network pricing and their electricity bill
- The topics of most importance to customers (from six identified topics of interest)
- Initial participant support for six proposed approaches for addressing distribution reliability
- Participants’ initial thoughts on contingent projects and the topics they would be most interest in understanding about them
- Identify level of participant support for the following items under consideration for the R24 Revenue Reset Combined Proposal:
- Two approaches to addressing distribution reliability
- Three options to improve network resilience
- The approach to Distributed Energy Resources (DER).
- Measure participant interest in participating in future R24 engagement opportunities.
Locations:
- Hobart (1 and 29 May 2022)
- Launceston (7 May and 4 June).
Attendees: A total of 34 individual TasNetworks customers, plus staff from TasNetworks and engagement consultancy, RPS Group.
Materials:
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Purpose: full day workshop to engage with Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council Members on the following aspects of TasNetworks' Regulatory Proposal:
- Preliminary investment outlook
- Transmission network strategy and contingent projects
- Future distribution system
- Draft Consultation Plan engagement preferences
- Revenue recovery and pricing overview
- Customer Service Incentive Scheme
- Connection policy
- Alternative control services
- Standard control services.
Location: blended (online and TasNetworks' Maria Street offices)
Attendees: PRWG and CC members, representatives from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), representatives from the AER Consumer Challenge Panel, TasNetworks supporting staff.
Joint PRWG and CC session (10am-12.30pm)
Breakout session Customer Council (1.30pm)
Breakout session Policy and Regulatory Working Group (1.30pm)
Discussion Circles | Individual customers
Purpose:
- Capture feedback and preferences of individual customers experiencing financial vulnerability and/or living with disabilities
- Inform customers about TasNetworks, its revenue reset process and how TasNetworks is engaging for R24
- Understand:
- What customers would need to know to be able to provide informed and meaningful feedback into TasNetworks Combined Proposal
- What is of most importance to customers in relation to network pricing and their electricity bill
- The topics of most importance to customers
- Initial participant support for six proposed approaches for addressing distribution reliability
- Identify:
- Level of participant support for two approaches to addressing distribution reliability
- Level of participant support for three options to improve network resilience
- Further participant feedback on network resilience
- Measure customer interest in participating in future R24 engagement opportunities.
Locations:
- Discussion Circle 1 - Launceston (28 March, 2 May, 30 May 2022)
- Discussion Circle 2 - Ulverstone (29 March, 3 May, 31 May 2022)
- Discussion Circle 3 - Hobart (31 March, 5 May, 2 June 2022)
Attendees: 30 individual TasNetworks customers from across the state, plus staff from TasNetworks and engagement consultancy, RPS Group.
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the fourth meeting of TasNetworks' Reset Advisory Committee.
Purpose:
- Inform Members about TasNetworks' Preliminary capital expenditure forecasts
- Inform Members about TasNetworks' approach to renewal/replacement capital expenditure, and seek their feedback on the alternative options outlined in the two presented case studies.
Location: blended, online and at Maria Street, Lenah Valley
Attendees: All six Reset Advisory Committee Members, two Australian Energy Regulator representatives, and supporting TasNetworks staff.
Materials:
Online forum | Electricity retailers
Purpose:
- To provide an overview and update on TasNetworks' Revenue Reset program and distribution pricing strategy.
Location: online only
Attendees: electricity retailers operating in Tasmania, supporting staff
Materials:
Collaborative Customer Panel (#1) | Individual customers
Between 21 February and 4 April 2022, TasNetworks met three times online with a Collaborative Customer Panel as part of Phase 3 of the Revenue Reset engagement program.
Objectives:
- Share information and build participants’ capacity to make informed preferences and views on TasNetworks’ future customer service incentive scheme (CSIS) framework and its service measures
- Understand key customer service priorities, and the panel’s beliefs, experiences and values that underpin these priorities
- Determine which customer service framework (STPIS or CSIS) customers believe TasNetworks should implement as part of its Revenue Reset 2024 process
- Prioritise potential customer service measures to be reported against in TasNetworks CSIS framework.
Attendees: A total of 13 individuals plus staff from TasNetworks and engagement consultancy, RPS Group attended all three sessions.
Materials:
Online forums | Transmission stakeholders
Purpose:
- To provide an update about the revenue reset program
- To inform about how TasNetworks is investing in infrastructure
- To build understanding about contingent projects and associated triggers for the R24 period
- To inform about transmission pricing and considerations.
Location: online only
Attendees: 20 transmission customers and stakeholders, plus supporting staff
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the third meeting of TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee.
Purpose:
- Inform Members about the Australian Energy Regulator’s (AER) Better Resets Handbook and associated requirements for TasNetworks
- Provide background regarding TasNetworks’ proposed transmission augmentation expenditure and seek Member input on the options presented in the augmentation case study ‘Upper Derwent transmission loss reduction’
- Provide an overview of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Draft Integrated System Plan (ISP)
- Provide background regarding potential R24 contingent projects and seek Member input on the options presented in the case study ‘George Town Hydrogen hub’.
Location: in-person, Maria Street, Lenah Valley
Attendees: Five Reset Advisory Committee Members, one Australian Energy Regulator representative, plus supporting staff
Materials:
Joint DNSP forum | Interested stakeholders
Purpose: to hear stakeholders' views on the following key question – “Over the next 10 years, how can distribution network service providers best support the communities they serve in adapting to a changing climate?”
Location: online only
Attendees: 80+ stakeholders attended from across Australia, along with representatives from Essential Energy, Endeavour Energy, Actewagl (EvoEnergy), Ausgrid, Power & Water Corporation and TasNetworks representatives.
Materials
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the second meeting of the Reset Advisory Committee.
Location: TasNetworks Maria Street offices, and online
Attendees: Reset Advisory Committee Members, TasNetworks executives, supporting staff
Materials:
Focus groups | Individual customers
Purpose: to confirm deep-dive topics for Phase three of the Revenue Reset's engagement program, and to gather feedback on the Draft Customer and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
Location: online
Attendees: 35 randomly selected individual TasNetworks customers from the state's three main regional areas (south, north-west, north-east)
Materials:
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Purpose: to deepen participants' knowledge and understanding of TasNetworks' operations and the Revenue Reset process, and to identify topics for deeper engagement in phase 3 of the R24 engagement program.
Location: TasNetworks Maria Street offices, and online
Attendees: 24 individuals from the Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Materials:
Public consultation - Draft Engagement Strategy | Interested stakeholders
Purpose: to seek feedback from the general public and stakeholders on TasNetworks’ Draft Customer and Stakeholder Engagement strategy.
Location: online survey
Attendees: a total of 20 individuals provided feedback, including 13 members of the general public, and all seven Reset Advisory Committee members.
Materials:
Generators Forum | interested stakeholders
Purpose: to provide an overview of the Revenue Reset and discuss the following:
- Granville Harbour Wind Farm
- Tasmanian Renewable Energy Action Plan
- System Strength
- Revenue Reset 2024-2029
- Connection Process.
Location: blend of in-person and online
Attendees: Origin Energy, State Growth, Epuron, ENE Flux, IB Vogt, UPC, WestCoast Wind: Palisade Asset Management, Woolnorth Wind, Hydro Tasmania, AEMO, Goldwind Australia, Granville Harbour, Joule Logic, DPAC and TasNetworks representatives.
Materials:
Meeting | TasNetworks Reset Advisory Committee
This was the inaugural meeting of the newly created Reset Advisory Committee.
Location: online only
Attendees: Reset Advisory Committee Members, Australian Energy Regulator representatives, TasNetworks executives, supporting staff
Materials:
Forums | Local government
Purpose: to seek feedback from Tasmanian councils about key topics in TasNetworks' 2024-29 Revenue Reset, including:
- Update on development applications
- EVs and EV charging infrastructure
- Streetlight updates.
Locations: in-person Lenah Valley and Burnie, and Online
Attendees: representatives from Central Highlands Council, Kingborough Council, Clarence City Council, Glenorchy City Council, Waratah Wynyard Council, City of Launceston, George Town Council, Glamorgan Spring Bay Council, Kentish Council, City of Hobart, Meander Valley Council, and TasNetworks representatives.
Materials
Online survey | Representative voices and stakeholders
Purpose: to gather feedback from customers and stakeholders via online surveys to inform the development of the Draft Customer and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy for TasNetworks' 2024-2029 revenue reset.
Location: online only
Attendees: Council Forum Members, Policy & Regulatory Working Group Members, Customer Council and transmission customers.
Materials:
Workshop | TasNetworks Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Purpose: to work through a range of activities that would provide the basis of a draft engagement strategy for the 2024 Revenue Reset
Location: TasNetworks Maria Street offices, and online
Attendees: Approximately 20 individuals from the Policy and Regulatory Working Group and Customer Council
Materials: