Australian Capital Territory
Utilities (Annual Licence Fees Determination) Notice 2004 (No 1)
Notifiable instrument NI2004–441
made under the  
Utilities Act 2000, s 52 (1) (i) (Public notice of licence decisions)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Utilities (Annual Licence Fees Determination) Notice 2004 (No 1).
2	Commencement 
This instrument commences the day after notification. 
3	Determination of licence fees

The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has determined that the Annual Licence Fees payable by licensed utilities under the Utilities Act 2000 (the Act) for the year ending on 30 June 2005 are as set out in the attached schedule.

Table 1 sets out the costs expected to be incurred by the ICRC, the Essential Services Consumer Council and the Technical Regulator in the exercise of functions in the ACT in relation to utility services. The Annual Licence Fee determined for each utility is the amount considered by the ICRC to be a reasonable contribution by that utility to the sum of these expected costs.

In determining the licence fee payable by each utility, the ICRC had regard to:
 
•	the extent of costs in relation to each utility; 

•	the annual licence fees payable by all utilities; and

•	the relative scope and nature of the services provided by all
utilities (as set out in Table 2).

Table 3 sets out the annual licence fee payable by each utility.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the ICRC, determined fees that are over $10,000 are payable by the Licensee to the ICRC in three (3) instalments to be made on 29 December 2004, 28 February 2005 and 30 April 2005, being as nearly as practicable equal instalments. Any fees under $10,000 are payable by 29 December 2004.

4	Public access to determination of annual licence fee

Copies of the ICRC’s determination of annual licence fees are available for inspection by members of the public on the commission’s Webpage (http://www.icrc.act.gov.au) and from the ICRC during ordinary office hours at Level 7, Eclipse House, 197 London Circuit, Civic ACT. 

5	Repeal of instruments
	NI 2002-226 and NI 2003-496 are repealed.

Paul Baxter
Senior Commissioner
Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission
24 November 2004

Table 1 – Expected costs relating to licences

Licensee	Utility Service	Technical Regulator	Essential Services Consumer Council	Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission	Total Licence Fee 2004/05	
ActewAGL Distribution 	Electricity Distribution	 $      85,400 	 $       59,300 	 $           134,300 	 $    279,000 	
 	Electricity Connection Service	 $      42,700 	 $                -   	 $              67,100 	 $    109,800 	
ActewAGL Retail 	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $    225,600 	 $              26,100 	 $    251,700 	
AGL Electricity Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                3,400 	 $         4,900 	
Country Energy 	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                3,900 	 $         5,400 	
ENERGEX Retail Pty Ltd 	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,200 	 $                3,800 	 $         5,000 	
EnergyAustralia	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                3,500 	 $         5,000 	
Ergon Energy (Vic) Pty Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,200 	 $         4,600 	
Ferrier Hodgson Electricity Pty Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,200 	 $         4,600 	
Intergral Energy Australia	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,200 	 $         4,600 	
Origin Energy Electricity Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,300 	 $         4,700 	
AGL Victoria Pty Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,200 	 $         4,600 	
TXU Electricity Ltd	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,400 	 $                3,200 	 $         4,600 	
Yallourn Energy	Electricity Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,200 	 $                3,500 	 $         4,700 	
East Australian Pipeline Ltd 	Gas Transmission	 $        3,300 	 $                -   	 $                2,600 	 $         5,900 	
ActewAGL Distribution 	Gas Distribution	 $      56,800 	 $       34,300 	 $           107,200 	 $    198,300 	
 	Gas Connection Service	 $      28,300 	 $                -   	 $              53,600 	 $       81,900 	
ActewAGL Retail 	Gas Supply	 $               -   	 $    129,200 	 $              28,800 	 $    158,000 	
ENERGEX Retail Pty Ltd 	Gas Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                7,900 	 $         9,400 	
Country Energy	Gas Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                7,900 	 $         9,400 	
EnergyAustralia 	Gas Supply	 $               -   	 $         1,500 	 $                7,900 	 $         9,400 	
ACTEW Corporation Ltd	Water Collection and Treatment	 $      16,100 	 $         2,500 	 $              13,100 	 $       31,700 	
 	Water Network	 $      16,100 	 $         2,500 	 $              13,100 	 $       31,700 	
 	Water Distribution	 $      16,100 	 $         2,500 	 $              13,100 	 $       31,700 	
 	Water Connection Service	 $      16,100 	 $                -   	 $              13,100 	 $       29,200 	
 	Water Supply	 $               -   	 $       30,200 	 $              28,200 	 $       58,400 	
 	Sewerage Network	 $      32,300 	 $         7,500 	 $              26,200 	 $       66,000 	
 	Sewerage Connection Service	 $      32,300 	 $                -   	 $              26,200 	 $       58,500 	
 	Sewerage Service	 $               -   	 $       30,200 	 $              28,200 	 $       58,400 	
Total	 	 $    345,500 	 $    543,600 	 $           642,000 	 $ 1,531,100 	

Table 2 – Scope and nature of services provided by licensee

Section of the Act/
Utility Service	Scope and nature of services	
6(a)
Electricity distribution	Distribution of electricity through an electricity network. 	
6(b)
Electricity connection
services
	
Connection of premises to an electricity distribution network; or variation of the capacity of the connection between premises and an  electricity distribution network.	
6(c)
Electricity supply	Supply of electricity from an electricity network to premises for consumption. 	
9(a)
Gas transmission	Transmission of gas through a gas transmission network. 
	
9(b)
Gas distribution	Distribution of gas through a gas distribution network. 
	
9(c)
Gas connection services	Connection of premises to a gas distribution network; or
variation of the capacity of the connection between premises and a gas distribution network.	
9(d)
Gas supply	Supply gas through a gas distribution network to premises for consumption.  	
11(a)
Water collection and
treatment	Collection or treatment of water, or both, for distribution through a water network. 	
11(b)
Water network	Making a water network available for the provision of water connection services.	
11(c)
Water distribution	Distribution of water through a water network.	
11(d)
Water connection
Services	Connection of premises to a water network; or variation of the capacity of the connection between premises and a water network.	
11(e)
Water supply	Supply of water from a water network to premises for consumption. 	
13(a)
Sewerage network	Making a sewerage network available for the provision of sewerage connection services.	
13(b)
Sewerage connection
Services	Connection of  premises to a sewerage network; or variation of the capacity of the connection between premises and a sewerage network.	
13(c)
Sewerage service	Conveyance, collection, treatment and disposal of sewage by a person from the premises of another person.	

Table 3 – Annual licence fees

Licensee	Total Licence Fee 2004/05	
ActewAGL Distribution (Electricity)	 $                 388,800 	
ActewAGL Retail (Electricity)	 $                 251,700 	
AGL Electricity Ltd	 $                     4,900 	
Country Energy (Electricity)	 $                     5,400 	
ENERGEX Retail Pty Ltd (Electricity)	 $                     5,000 	
EnergyAustralia (Electricity)	 $                     5,000 	
Ergon Energy (Vic) Pty Ltd	 $                     4,600 	
Ferrier Hodgson Electricity Pty Ltd	 $                     4,600 	
Intergral Energy Australia	 $                     4,600 	
Origin Energy Electricity Ltd	 $                     4,700 	
AGL Victoria Pty Ltd	 $                     4,600 	
TXU Electricity Ltd	 $                     4,600 	
Yallourn Energy	 $                     4,700 	
East Australian Pipeline Ltd 	 $                     5,900 	
ActewAGL Distribution (Gas)	 $                 280,200 	
ActewAGL Retail (Gas)	 $                 158,000 	
ENERGEX Retail Pty Ltd (Gas)	 $                     9,400 	
Country Energy (Gas)	 $                     9,400 	
EnergyAustralia (Gas)	 $                     9,400 	
ACTEW Corporation Ltd	 $                 365,600 	
Total	 $             1,531,100