New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY (GENERAL) REGULATION 2001 - REG 71

71 Conditions on exemptions for certain residential premises relating to disconnection from distribution system

(1) The exemption of a person (the "exempt person") from a provision of the Act under clause 66 or 68 (other than clause 68 (2) (e), (f) or (g)) is subject to the condition that the exempt person comply with this clause, if the person in respect of whom the connection services are provided, or electricity is supplied, occupies residential premises and the person’s electricity consumption is measured by a separate electricity meter.

(2) An exempt person may not disconnect premises from the person’s distribution system or discontinue the supply of electricity to the occupier of premises:

(a) while any application made by the occupier of the premises for assistance under:

(i) any Government funded rebate or relief scheme, or

(ii) any payment plan operated by the exempt person,

is pending, or

(b) while any life support system that relies on electricity for its operation is in use at the premises.

(3) In the event that the exempt person becomes authorised (under an agreement with the person in respect of whom the connection services are provided, or electricity is supplied) to disconnect premises from a distribution system or to discontinue the supply of electricity, the exempt person must not do so:

(a) on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or

(b) on a public holiday or day immediately preceding a public holiday, or

(c) after 3.00 pm on any other day.

(4) The exempt person must not take action to disconnect premises from the exempt person’s distribution system or discontinue supply unless the exempt person has given at least 14 days written notice of the exempt person’s intention to do so.

(5) The notice:

(a) must specify the grounds on which the exempt person is taking the action proposed, and

(b) must indicate the date on or after which the supply to the customer’s premises may be disconnected or discontinued if those grounds are not removed, being a date occurring not earlier than 14 days after the notice is sent, and

(c) must advise the customer of the customer’s rights under subclause (2).

(6) An exempt person must, if the grounds on which the supply was disconnected or discontinued are remedied by the occupier of the premises concerned, reconnect premises or resume supply of electricity to premises within a reasonable time.

(7) An exempt person must, on receiving notice that the exempt person’s premises are to be disconnected from the distribution system, immediately give written notice of the disconnection to any person to whom the exempt person provides connection services or supplies electricity under an electricity supply arrangement and who will be affected by the disconnection.

(8) Nothing in this clause affects any right or obligation to disconnect premises arising from the operation of the Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2002 or Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 .