12 Nov 2015
IPART is inviting public comment on our proposed approach to regulate retail gas prices from 1 July 2016. IPART regulates retail gas prices that the Standard Retailers in NSW – AGL, ActewAGL and Origin Energy – charge residential and small business gas customers who have not signed a market contract.
The NSW Government has asked IPART to make new pricing agreements and we have invited each of the Standard Retailers to propose a new pricing agreement for 2016-17, including indicative price changes in 2017-18 and 2018-19. These proposals are due in January 2016. The Issues Paper released today invites public comment on our proposed approach to assess whether the retailer’s pricing proposals are reasonable and promote the long-term interests of customers.
The Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy recently announced that the NSW Government will look to deregulate retail gas prices from 1 July 2017 if there is an increase in competition, particularly in regional areas of the state. As part of our review we will also review the competitiveness of the retail gas market to identify and recommend additional measures to strengthen competition in regional areas.