Energy Networks Australia (ENA) has welcomed the release of the consultation paper for the Australian Energy Regulator’s draft Better Resets Handbook – Towards consumer-centric network proposals.

The initiative is designed to support network efforts to develop regulatory proposals that closely reflect customer preferences. The objective is to deliver proposals capable of acceptance by the AER and streamline the regulatory process.

Regulatory resets occur every five years and determine how much money networks can spend and recover from customers to safely and reliability deliver network services.

ENA Acting Chief Executive Officer Tamatha Smith said the handbook initiative was strongly supported by the sector and reflected the increasing focus on customer engagement in recent regulatory decisions.

“With the rapid evolution of our energy system, networks are working harder than ever to accommodate customers’ desire for technologies like solar, batteries and electric vehicles and to have greater control over how they manage their energy use,” Ms Smith said.

“As part of this evolution, networks have drastically reshaped and improved the way they engage with customers.

“This ‘better reset’ initiative helps lock in those gains and supports network efforts to deliver the services and invest in the technology that customers value and want. This is a win for better regulation and for consumer outcomes.”

Ms Smith said ENA’s recently released Consumer Engagement Awards finalists included several entries that highlighted the many innovative customer engagement channels and approaches networks were using.

“ENA looks forward to working with the AER through the consultation period to design a final handbook that improves the efficiency of the regulatory reset process and ensures better outcomes for customers.”