Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Electricity Industry Act 2000 - SECT 45

Commission may approve financial hardship policy

45. Commission may approve financial hardship policy



(1) The Commission must consider a financial hardship policy submitted by a
licensee in accordance with section 43 and may approve the policy if it
considers it appropriate.

(2) In deciding whether to approve a financial hardship policy the Commission
must have regard to-

   (a)  the essential nature of the electricity supply; and

   (b)  community expectations that licensees will work with domestic
        customers to manage customers' present and future electricity usage
        and associated financial obligations; and

   (c)  community expectations that the electricity supply will not be
        disconnected solely because of a customer's inability to pay for the
        electricity supply; and

   (d)  the principle that the electricity supply to premises should only be
        disconnected as a last resort; and



   (e)  the principle that there should be equitable access to financial
        hardship policies and that those policies should be transparent and
        applied consistently.

(3) The Commission must not approve a financial hardship policy that does not
include the provisions set out in section 43(2).

(4) The Commission may, at the request of the licensee, approve a variation or
replacement of an approved financial hardship policy.