Australian Capital Territory
Utility (Electricity Retail) Licence Conditions Direction 2008 (No 1)*
Disallowable instrument DI2008—10
made under the
Utilities Act 2000

1	Commencement
This instrument commences the day after the date of notification.
2	Direction
Pursuant to Part 2, Division 2.5 Section 19 of the Utilities Act 2000, I hereby direct the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), as the entity given powers under Part 1 Section 3 of the same Act, to give effect through suitable licence variations to the GreenPower scheme outlined at Schedule A.

This Scheme is consistent with the object of promoting ecologically sustainable development in the provision of utility services and should come into effect no later than 1 January 2009.
3	Revocation
There are no previous Instruments in relation to this matter.

Jon Stanhope
Minister for Environment, Water and Climate Change
22 January 2008

Schedule A

Policy Intention

The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2007-2025 has as one of its objectives, the need to design and build our city to become more sustainable.  Increasing the Territory’s use of nil emission generated electricity is one means of promoting long-term sustainability.

Requirement

All retailers of electricity licensed and operating in the ACT are required to have access to an accredited green energy product and that product must to be the first product offered to any new or re-connecting customer.

The product must also be offered and made available to existing customers at their request.

The ACT Government specifies that this product must be accredited under the National GreenPower Program as specified under its current Rules and Guidelines.

All retailers licensed under the Utilities Act 2000 must commence the offering of an accredited product to all classes of customer no later than 1 January 2009.

The initial offering of the accredited product must constitute the full electricity supply of the customer.

Rights of Customers

This Scheme is aimed at new and re-connecting customers.

These customers have the right to;

•	be offered an accredited product as the first option offered to them by a prospective electricity provider;

•	be made aware at the same time that other product options are available to them;

•	accept the offer of an accredited product if they choose;

•	refuse this offering and seek other product offerings from the prospective retailer.  These offerings may include varying components or percentages of accredited product as part of the alternative offering.

Enforcement

Access to and offering of an accredited product will be enforced as an electricity retailer licence condition under the Utilities Act 2000.