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For immediate release 6 July 2004
Embargoed until 5pm 6 July 2004
Electricity investigations up 28 percent
Electricity Complaints Commissioner Judi
Jones presented her annual report at the commission's annual
general meeting today, advising that the second full year
of operation of the office had seen a 28 percent growth in
the number of investigations it conducted.
The annual general meeting was held at Pod
meeting rooms in Wellington.
While the total number of enquiries and complaints
for the 2003-04 year was lower than the previous year, there
was a significant increase in files for investigation. A good
many of these files involved complex fact situations, and/or
complex or novel legal issues, which meant the files took
a while to resolve.
The office dealt with 574 enquiries (where
advice only is given, or the matter is outside jurisdiction)
and referred 1199 complaints to member companies during the
year. While this represents a percentage decrease in customers
contacting the office, there was a 28 percent increase in
deadlocked files requiring investigation and the office achieved
a 183 percent increase in the file closure rate.
"It is reassuring for stakeholders in the
scheme to note that while 1199 customers contacted us about
a complaint about their retailer or lines company, only 351
files reached deadlock during the year," Ms Jones says.
"And of the 354 files we closed during the
year, most were closed after the customer and their company
reached agreement on a settlement during the investigation/
conciliation process.
"On 34 occasions, I wrote to both parties
to give my preliminary view on the complaint and giving them
notice of an intention to make a recommendation. In 25 cases,
both the company and the customer accepted the proposed recommendation
or reached agreement. However, in nine cases, either the customer
or the company made further comment and asked me to review
my proposed recommendation. In three of these, I did not uphold
the complaint against the member company."
In terms of the issues involved in the deadlocked
files, the biggest issue remained billing (68.4%), followed
by metering (11.1%).
Commission chairperson Alison Paterson spoke
to the meeting saying that the commission was approaching
the goal of 100 percent membership. New members joining the
scheme during the year were Mainpower and Eastland Network.
Genesis acquired Fresh Start's customer base, enabling the
office to assist Fresh Start customers. Electra and Unison
have indicated their intention to join the scheme, which will
leave only two retailers (Bay of Plenty Electricity and King
Country Energy) outside the scheme.
She said The Electricity and Gas Industries
Bill and the Government Policy Statement (GPS) present challenges
for the office of the commissioner in the year ahead. The
bill reflects the establishment of the Electricity Commission
and makes provision for a consistent framework to apply to
both the electricity and gas sectors. The commission plans
to begin consultation with members and other stakeholders
during the coming year regarding changes to the scheme to
enable it to meet the Government's expectations.
The reticulated natural gas industry and
Transpower are looking at becoming members of the scheme.
The commission has also agreed the office
of the commissioner is well placed to provide the reviewer
function for the disclosure guidelines for energy trusts.
Costs of changes required to the scheme to
include reticulated gas, Transpower and energy trusts will
be met by the respective sectors.
A full copy of the office's annual report
will be loaded onto the website after the annual general meeting
on www.electricitycomplaints.co.nz/news/2004AnnualReport
ENDS
For more information contact:
Josie Vidal
Communications/Publicity Officer,
Electricity Complaints Commission.
Tel: (04) 914-4526
e-mail: j.vidal@electricitycomplaints.co.nz
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