Our Network Resets Funding Program supports consumer advocates to better understand cross-cutting consumer network issues, and drive change that benefits all Australian energy consumers.

About the Network Reset Process

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) makes revenue determinations through extensive regulatory processes, or ‘reset processes’. Through these processes, the AER confirms how much network distribution or transmission businesses can recover from their consumers.

This includes making decisions about access arrangements (which define how people access energy infrastructure), and network expenditure (how much money energy networks can spend to maintain and upgrade their infrastructure).

We want to ensure what’s best for consumers is built into these processes. So, to achieve this, we fund research and resources that directly or indirectly support advocates involved in Reset Customer Panels.

About the Funding Program

There are recurrent, strategic and expensive consumer issues that cut across many access arrangements and network expenditure determinations. The Network Resets Funding Program provides an opportunity to support consumer advocates to better understand one or more of these topics. It also helps advocates to better equip themselves to drive change for the benefit of all Australian energy consumers.

Applications are invited for a funding pool of up to $100,000 for research and advocacy (up to $50,000 per project, per proponent, per year) on a chosen consumer network issue. This funding is available for any non-profit, consultant, research group or consumer advocate.

Activities supported through the Program

Project proposals will be reviewed based on whether they:

• Are likely to have a material benefit for consumers,
• Are likely to affect multiple network resets, and
• Have a clear path to impact for influencing consumer panels.

Projects must:

• Outline a clear path to impact
• Provide value for money
• Have a reference group which includes at least one active member of consumer panels, and if not, have a plan for engaging consumer panels.

Projects should include both research into a specific topic and related advocacy. They will require stakeholder engagement with, at a minimum, key decision-makers, relevant networks, or their consumer panels.

Previous recipients

• Jill Cainey, Consumer Electricity Resilience Project | Report | Definition | Role of DNSPs | Expectations of DNSPs

Want to find out more?

To apply for the Network Resets Funding Program, please contact Executive Manager, Advocacy & Policy, Michael Dello-Iacovo. Please also contact Michael if you would like more information or have any questions about the program.