Gas Overview
The Essential Services Commission Act 2002, together with
the Gas Act 1997 and regulations, establishes the Essential
Services Commission of South Australia (the Commission) with regulatory powers
in relation to regulated industries.
Those powers include the ability to make. rules and guidelines, and to
undertake performance monitoring.
Major features of the regulatory regime include:
- Establishment of the Essential Services Commission, with specified
regulatory powers in relation to the gas supply industry, and with significant
independence from Government. The Commission is established as a general
regulator, to enable other industries to be referred to it in the future as
appropriate.
- The principal functions and powers of the Commission in relation to the gas
supply industry include:
- administering the licensing of gas distribution entities;
- monitoring the performance of licensed entities (eg, as part of ensuring
compliance with licence conditions) and report on such performance;
- making industry codes to regulate the behaviour of licensed entities.
The Energy and Water Ombudsman SA scheme (EWOSA scheme) has also been
established to provide customers of distribution and retail businesses with an
alternative dispute resolution mechanism.