Amid all the talk of electricity market reforms, there are three power reforms that must emerge from a recent COAG meeting, according to TEC executive director Jeff Angel.

“TEC has been pointing out solutions to network gold plating and the advantages of smart meters for years, so we are pleased to see the Prime Minister will introduce reforms along these lines that will help to constrain retail prices. However we urge all parties to avoid posturing about green schemes and the blame game and take some big steps,” Jeff says.

He says substantial reforms should include:
· The planned National Energy Savings Initiative. This has been years in the making and would reap cheap and easy rewards for consumers, but seems to have been dropped by the government.
· A target for networks to reduce peak demand, which is responsible for a quarter of all new costs.
· A new national energy consumer body. Consumer groups have been working all year on the business plan for Energy Consumers Australia.

“Political argy-bargy around the separation of the AER from the ACCC and the privatisation of state-owned networks in NSW and Queensland are a sideline. Ownership is less relevant than effective regulation, which has been missing for a decade,” Jeff adds.

He also called on the governments to get serious about listening to consumers in reforming the national electricity market.

“After all, they are the ones in whose interests these reforms are supposed to be happening and we can achieve social and environmental goals at the same time.”