and Consequential Amendments to Part A of the
Rules) Amendment Rules 2010 and Notice of Reasons for Decision
1. In accordance with section 172I of the Electricity Act 1992, I give notice that I am making the Electricity Governance (Amendments to Parts E, H and J of the Rules and consequential amendments to Part A of
the Rules) Amendment Rules 2010 ("Amendments"), which amend the Electricity Governance Rules 2003 ("Rules"). The Amendments are made under section 172H of the Electricity Act 1992 ("Act").
2. The empowering provisions for the Electricity Governance Regulations in relation to which the Amendments are made are sections 172D(1)(1)(b), 172D(1)(1)(d), 172D(1)(18), 172J(1)(a), 172J(1)(aa), 172J(1)(b), 172J(1)(d) and 172J(1)(f) of the Act.
3. A brief description of the nature of the Amendments is as follows:
(a) To shorten the switching time period;
(b) to provide for further monitoring of the installation control point ("ICP") status by distributors;
(c) to provide a process for distributors to transfer ICPs;
(d) to provide a process to streamline trading notifications;
(e) to clarify the process by which invoice and volume information are resolved, and information errors are corrected;
(f) to alter the scope of some of the Rules to align the Rules with current practice or intended best practice;
(g) to clarify participants’ and the Commission’s obligations under the Rules;
(h) to make the Rules clearer and easier to read and ensure they are in a logical order;
(i) to correct some incorrect references and terminology in the Rules; and
(j) to remove ambiguity in the Rules.
4. In accordance with section 172Z(4) of the Act, the reasons for my decision to amend the Rules are to:
(a) ensure that switching processes are not unnecessarily delayed;
(b) ensure the operational efficiency of the overall reconciliation and switching process;
(c) align the Rules with current practice or intended best practice;
(d) clarify participants’ and the Commission’s obligations under the Rules;
(e) make the Rules clearer and easier to read;
(f) ensure that the Rules are in a logical order;
(g) correct some incorrect references and terminology in the Rules; and
(h) remove ambiguity and ensure enforceability in the Rules.
5. The amendments to Rules 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 of Part H of the Rules and Rules 8, 10, 11 and 12 of Part J of the Rules come into force on the 28th day after the date
on which they are notified in the New Zealand Gazette. The rest of these amendments come into force on
30 September 2010.
6. Copies of the Amendments and the amended Rules may be inspected free of charge or purchased from the Electricity Commission, Level 7, ASB Bank Tower,
2 Hunter Street, Wellington.
7. The Rules can also be viewed on the Electricity Commission’s website
http://www.electricitycommission.govt.nz/rulesand
regs/rules
Dated at Wellington this 22nd day of July 2010.
HON GERRY BROWNLEE, Minister of Energy and Resources.