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Guaranteed service levels (GSLs)
The Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) Electricity Distribution Code of Practice outlines the minimum service levels we must provide to our customers.
These minimum service levels cover:
- appointments that we make with you to inspect and service our network
- failure to connect new supply of electricity
- supply restoration
- low energy supply reliability.
If we can’t meet these commitments, you may be eligible for a GSL payment, which will be automatically credited to your quarterly electricity bill.
Note: You can find details of the GSL scheme dates, eligibility criteria, payment amounts and the process for determining excluded events in the Electricity Distribution Code of Practice (Code of Practice).
Our customer charter outlines our commitment to you. It also explains your rights and responsibilities under the Code of Practice.
Types of GSL payments
We make GSL payments for many reasons, including how often you’re without power and how long it takes us to get your power back on.
Supply restoration payments
These payments are based on the total time you were without power during a financial year (July to June).
| If you experience unplanned, sustained outages of | We will pay |
|---|---|
| More than 18 hours per year | $130 |
| More than 30 hours per year | $190 |
| More than 60 hours per year | $380 |
This is an annual scheme that is paid quarterly – see the GSL payment cycle.
Low reliability payments
These payments are based on how many times in a financial year (July to June) your power was interrupted for more than three minutes.
| If your power was interrupted for more than three minutes | We will pay |
|---|---|
| More than 8 times a year | $130 |
| More than 12 times a year | $190 |
| More than 20 times a year | $380 |
This is an annual scheme that is paid quarterly – see the GSL payment cycle.
Momentary outage payments
These payments are based on how many times in a financial year (July to June) your power was interrupted for less than or equal to three minutes.
| If your power was interrupted for less than or equal to three minutes. | We will pay |
|---|---|
| More than 24 times a year | $40 |
| More than 36 times a year | $50 |
This is an annual scheme that is paid quarterly – see the GSL payment cycle.
GSL payment cycle
We calculate GSL payment eligibility each quarter based on your accumulated unplanned outages for the current financial year (July to June). If you are eligible for a GSL payment for a quarter, we will make the payment to your electricity retailer within 60 business days of the end of that quarter. It will appear as a credit on your power bill.
We reassess your accumulated unplanned outages each quarter and will make further payments if they go over a higher threshold.
Note: We make these GSL payments to your electricity retailer within two retail billing cycles of the day the GSL event occurred. It will appear as a credit on your power bill.