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Electricity

Electricity is an essential domestic service, and thus, electricity disconnection can have severe social and economic ramifications for individuals, families and communities.

There is an abundance of international and domestic research that demonstrates the importance of access to an affordable supply of electricity. Electricity supports fundamental human needs including food, hygiene and shelter. It supports equipment that is critical to wellbeing and independence and enables and supports community engagement and family life.

For low income and disadvantaged Western Australians the costs of accessing essential services such as electricity consumes a disproportionately high percentage of household income.

WACOSS plays an important role in framing energy policy by participating in project working and reference groups. WACOSS also works in partnership with utility companies and the regulator to represent consumer voice on a range of issues related to utility pricing, financial hardship policies, access to concessions etc.

Electricity prices have risen substantially over 2009-2010 and have had significant adverse impacts on people living on low and fixed incomes. WACOSS is working in partnership with Office Of Energy on Tariffs and Concessions Review which hopes to restructure energy tariffs in a way that relieves the burden of high prices on vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

Electricity Publications

  1. WACOSS Information Sheet: Utility Price Rises 2006-2011
    file (434.10 KB)
  2. WACOSS Submission to Strategic Energy Initiative, May 2011
    file (510.10 KB)
  3. WACOSS Submission to the Inquiry into the Funding Arrangements of Horizon Power - Draft Report, February 2011
    file (310.22 KB)
  4. WACOSS Summary Paper - Amendments to the Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers) 2008 - Pre-Payment Meters, July 2010
    file (220.97 KB)
  5. WACOSS Response to Office of Energy Issues Paper Amendments to the Electricity Industry Metering Code 2005, July 2010
    file (2.49 MB)
  6. WACOSS Summary Paper, Amendments to the Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers) 2008 Pre-Payment Meters, July 2010
    file (220.97 KB)
  7. WACOSS Submission to Sustainable Energy Development Office WA Feed-in Tariff Discussion Paper, November 2009
    file (167.43 KB)
  8. WACOSS Response to Proposed Amendments to the Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers) in Response to ECCC Code Review 2009, October 2009
    file (722.52 KB)
  9. WACOSS Submission to ECCC - Proposed Amendments by the ERA to the Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers) Related to Pre-Payment Meters, August 2009
    file (1011.07 KB)
  10. Horizon Power Assist Report 2008-2009
    file (155.65 KB)
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Electricity Consumer Information and Resources

  1. Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers)
    file (363.65 KB)
  2. ERA Guide to Understanding the Code of Conduct (for the Supply of Electricity to Small Use Customers)
    file (661.72 KB)
  3. WACOSS Information Sheet - Electricity Regulation and the Code of Conduct
    file (78.86 KB)
  4. WACOSS Information Sheet - How to Handle a Problem with Synergy
    file (122.37 KB)
  5. WACOSS Information Sheet - Synergy Consumer Rights; Customer Charter and Hardship Policy
    file (135.88 KB)
  6. Synergy Hardship Policy, Keeping Connected
    file (431.67 KB)
  7. Synergy Customer Charter
    file (451.11 KB)
  8. WACOSS Information Sheet - Horizon Power Consumers, What You Should Know About Your Rights
    file (136.73 KB)
  9. WACOSS Information Sheet - How to Handle a Problem with Horizon Power
    file (123.11 KB)
  10. WACOSS Information Sheet - How to Use the Horizon Power Hardship Policy
    file (131.90 KB)
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