You may have seen recent news about the Victorian Midday Power Saver, a Victorian Government initiative designed to help households save on electricity by offering eligible customers free electricity between 11 am and 2 pm each day, subject to a daily usage limit of 24 kWh.
However, the offer is not available to all households, including residents living in many embedded networks.
Why are embedded network customers affected?
In a traditional electricity arrangement, a household purchases electricity directly from a retailer. In an embedded network, electricity is supplied to individual residents through a private electricity network within a property or site, such as an apartment building or residential community.
This difference in supply arrangements can affect eligibility for government electricity offers.
Under the Victorian Midday Power Saver eligibility requirements, having a smart meter is not necessarily enough. Customers must also meet the applicable eligibility conditions, including being billed by a licensed electricity retailer.
Why can't Energy Intelligence offer this to the embedded networks we manage?
EI manages and supports embedded network electricity arrangements but is not an authorised electricity retailer. As a result, the residential embedded networks we manage are not eligible to access the Victorian Midday Power Saver through EI's current arrangements.
This is a limitation arising from the scheme's eligibility requirements and the way electricity is supplied and billed, rather than a decision by EI to withhold the offer from residents.
Will this change in the future?
We understand that residents want access to initiatives that help reduce household electricity costs. EI will continue to monitor relevant government announcements and regulatory developments that may affect eligibility for embedded network customers.
In the meantime, your electricity charges continue to be determined by the pricing arrangements that apply to your embedded network and your electricity agreement.
For more information about the Victorian Midday Power Saver, visit the Victorian Government's official information page.