01 Jul 2020
Evoenergy has now submitted its plan for the 2021–26 gas network access arrangement to the Australian Energy Regulator for review, with a draft decision expected in November 2020.
Over the coming five-year period, we’ve proposed to minimise our forecast expenditure and deliver lower cost gas supply services without compromising safety and reliability.
With over 155,000 customers connected to the gas network in the ACT and surrounding regions our plan ensures that existing gas customers can continue to rely on the gas network for their everyday energy needs including cooking, hot water and space heating, while further work is undertaken on the complex challenge of developing a roadmap to meet the ACT Government’s zero net greenhouse gas emissions target by 2045.
In our response last year to the ACT Government’s proposed Sustainable Energy Policy for 2020–25, we acknowledged that achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, while providing affordable energy to customers that is safe, reliable and supplied at least cost, requires consideration of major strategic, technical, social and operational issues.
As we look at the potential pathways to achieve the zero net greenhouse gas emissions target, we want to maximise the use of existing infrastructure and explore the complementary and valuable role that gas and electricity networks can play in delivering energy.
The approach we’ve taken in our plan aligns closely with the feedback we received during consultation with the community, where we heard that consumers want us to consider the costs and benefits of all pathways for Canberra’s gas network to achieve net zero emissions.
We will continue to collaborate with the community, the ACT Government and industry to provide our expert knowledge of the local energy system so, together, we can find the most effective and least cost path to transition the gas network to net zero emissions.
We encourage everyone in the community to continue to get involved and engage with us on this important topic. Read more about Evoenergy’s plan for the 2021–26 gas network, or to participate in the Australian Energy Regulator consultation process visit https://www.aer.gov.au/networks-pipelines/determinations-access-arrangements/evoenergy-access-arrangement-2021-26.
For more information about the gas network access arrangement review process, visit www.evoenergy.com.au/about-us/about-our-network/gas-five-year-plan, and to read Evoenergy’s response to the ACT Government’s proposed Sustainable Energy Policy for 2020–25, visit www.evoenergy.com.au/about-us/about-our-network/gas-five-year-plan/net-zero-emissions-gas-network.
Background
Every five years, Evoenergy is required to submit to the Australian Energy Regulator its plans for how much it plans to spend operating, maintaining and investing in the gas network and how these costs should be recovered from gas consumers. The Australian Energy Regulator will review Evoenergy’s proposed plan submitted at the end of June 2020, with a draft decision expected in November 2020, ahead of the commencement of the next regulatory period on 1 July 2021.
