Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

UTILITIES ACT 2000

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Name of Act  
   3.      ICRC's objects  
   4.      Dictionary  
   5.      Notes  
   5A.     Offences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc  

   PART 2--UTILITY SERVICES

           Division 2.1--Electricity

   6.      Electricity services  
   7.      Electricity networks  

           Division 2.2--Natural gas

   8.      Gas—terminology  
   9.      Gas services  
   10.     Gas networks  

           Division 2.3--Water

   11.     Water services  
   12.     Water network  

           Division 2.4--Sewerage

   13.     Sewerage services  
   14.     Sewerage network  

           Division 2.5--Miscellaneous

   15.     Prescribed utility services  
   15A.    Exempt classes of utility services  
   17.     Customers  
   18.     Declaration of non-franchise customers  
   19.     Ministerial directions  
   20.     Other laws not affected  

   PART 3--LICENSING OF UTILITIES

           Division 3.1--General

   21.     Requirement for licence  
   22.     Exemption  

           Division 3.2--Terms of licences

   23.     Licensed utility services  
   24.     Duration  
   25.     General conditions  
   26.     Technical and prudential criteria  
   27.     Special conditions—water supply services  
   28.     Special conditions—electricity distribution  
   32.     Rights under licences  
   33.     Partnerships and other groups  

           Division 3.3--Licences

   34.     Applications for certain licence decisions  
   35.     Further information  
   36.     Public consultation  
   37.     Grant  
   38.     Variation  
   39.     Exemption from licence condition  
   40.     Transfer  
   41.     Surrender  
   42.     Revocation  

           Division 3.3A--Notification and review of ICRC decisions

   43.     Meaning of reviewable decision—div 3.3A  
   43A.    Reviewable decision notices  
   43B.    Applications for review  

           Division 3.4--Annual licence fee

   44.     Liability  
   45.     Determination of fee  

           Division 3.5--Review and enforcement

   46.     Review of licence conditions  
   47.     Contravention of licence condition  
   48.     Directions about licence condition  
   49.     Directions about accounts and records  
   50.     Contravention of direction  

           Division 3.6--Miscellaneous

   51.     Protection of personal information  
   52.     Public notice of licence decisions  
   53.     Public access to licences etc  
   54.     Annual reports—technical and environmental matters  

   PART 3A--ENERGY INDUSTRY LEVY

   54A.    Definitions—pt 3A  
   54B.    Purpose—pt 3A  
   54C.    Energy industry levy—imposition  
   54D.    Energy industry sectors etc  
   54E.    National regulatory obligations and costs  
   54F.    Local regulatory costs  
   54G.    Annual regulatory costs etc  
   54GA.   Regulatory cost—determinations  
   54H.    Further energy sector determinations  
   54I.    Production of distribution and sales information  
   54J.    Production of relevant information etc  
   54K.    Registration of energy utilities  
   54L.    Offence—failure to register  
   54M.    Returns under Taxation Administration Act  
   54N.    Levy administrator  
   54O.    Administrator to publish information  

   PART 4--INDUSTRY CODES

   55.     Contents  
   56.     Application  
   56A.    NERL retailers—determination of application of code  
   57.     Draft codes  
   58.     Approved codes  
   59.     Determined codes  
   60.     Public consultation  
   61.     Variation  
   62.     Notification and disallowance of codes etc  
   63.     Public access  

   PART 5A--NERL RETAILERS AND NERL EXEMPT SELLERS

           Division 5A--.1 Preliminary

   75.     Meaning of NERL retailer  
   75A.    Meaning of NERL exempt seller  
   75B.    Application of Act to NERL retailers  
   75C.    Application of Act to NERL exempt sellers  
   75D.    Inconsistency between Act and NERL  

           Division 5A--.2 NERL retailer obligations

              Subdivision 5A--.2.1 Greenpower

   75E.    Greenpower obligations—general  
   75F.    Greenpower obligations—information on bills  
   75G.    Exemption from greenpower obligations  

              Subdivision 5A--.2.1A Electricity pricing information for small customers

   75GA.   Obligation to give electricity price information  
   75GB.   Determination of representative consumption and reference price  

              Subdivision 5A--.2.2 Enforcement

   75H.    Offence—contravention of code, s 75E or s 75GA  
   75I.    Directions about code, s 75E or s 75GA  
   75J.    Offence—contravention of direction  
   75K.    Offence—contravention of s 75F  

   PART 6--ACCESS TO UTILITY SERVICES

           Division 6.1--Standard rights

   77.     Exercise of rights  
   78.     Form of application  
   79.     Electricity connection service  
   83.     Water connection service  
   84.     Water supply service  
   85.     Sewerage connection service  
   86.     Sewerage service  

           Division 6.2--Standard customer contracts

   86A.    Meaning of utility service—div 6.2  
   87.     Terms  
   88.     Draft contracts  
   89.     Approval of terms  
   90.     Determination of terms  
   91.     Notification and application of terms etc  
   92.     Creation of standard customer contracts  
   93.     Variation of terms  
   94.     Water supply and sewerage services—owner's liability for payment  

           Division 6.3--Negotiated customer contracts etc

   94A.    Application—div 6.3  
   95.     Negotiated customer contracts  
   96.     Unauthorised arrangements for utility services  

           Division 6.4--Passing on supply costs

   97.     Approved meters  
   100.    Passing on the cost of water  

           Division 6.5--Miscellaneous

   101.    Capital contribution charges—network development  

   PART 7--NETWORK OPERATIONS

           Division 7.1--General

   103.    Definitions for pt 7  

           Division 7.2--General powers

   104.    Acquisition of land  
   105.    Installation of network facilities  
   106.    Maintenance of network facilities  
   107.    National land  

           Division 7.3--Performance of network operations

   108.    Damage etc to be minimised  
   109.    Notice to land-holder  
   109A.   Notice to owner of structure—network operations  
   110.    Notice about lopping trees etc on private land—network  
   110A.   Network operations affecting heritage significance  
   111.    Notice to other utilities  
   112.    Removal of utility's property and waste  
   113.    Land to be restored  

           Division 7.4--Authorised people

   114.    Appointment  
   115.    Identity cards  
   116.    Entry to premises—network operations  
   117.    Entry to premises—inspection of meters etc  

           Division 7.5--Miscellaneous

   119.    Order to enforce exercise of functions  
   120.    Ownership of network facilities  
   121.    Clarifying ownership of certain network facilities  
   122.    Effect of declaration under s 121  

   PART 9--CONTROLLER'S POWER TO TAKE OVER OPERATIONS

           Division 9.1--General

   134.    Meaning of utility—pt 9  
   135.    Appointment of controller  
   136.    Controller's functions  
   137.    Utility to cooperate  
   138.    Reports to Minister  
   139.    Ministerial directions  
   140.    Contravention of controller's direction  
   142.    Immunity from personal liability  

           Division 9.2--Compensation

   143.    Right to compensation  
   144.    Claims  
   145.    Acceptance or rejection of claim  
   146.    Acceptance or rejection of compensation offer  
   147.    Payment  
   148.    Role of court  
   149.    Recovery of compensation  

   PART 9A--SHORTAGE OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES

   149A.   Definitions—pt 9A  
   149B.   Restriction of utility service  
   149C.   Powers in relation to premises  
   149D.   Production of identity card  

   PART 10--ENFORCEMENT

           Division 10.1--General

   150.    Definitions for pt 10  

           Division 10.2--ICRC inspectors

   152.    Appointment  
   153.    Identity cards  
   154.    Power to enter premises  
   155.    Production of identity card  
   156.    Consent to entry  
   157.    Warrants  
   158.    Warrants—application made other than in person  
   159.    Powers on entry to premises  
   160.    Power to seize evidence  
   161.    Receipt for things seized  
   162.    Access to things seized  
   163.    Return of things seized  

           Division 10.5--Miscellaneous

   166.    Self-incrimination etc  

   PART 11--CERTAIN CAUSES OF ACTION AGAINST CUSTOMER

   167.    Proceedings in Magistrates Court—amounts over $10 000  
   168.    Civil dispute applications to ACAT  

   PART 12--COMPLAINTS TO ACAT ABOUT UTILITIES

           Division 12.1--Preliminary

   169.    Definitions—pt 12  
   170.    Application—pt 12  
   171.    Principles—pt 12  

           Division 12.2--Applications to ACAT

   172.    ACAT applications  
   173.    Help with applications about failure to provide, or withdrawal of, utility  
   174.    Advising Minister etc about systemic problems  

           Division 12.3--Preliminary inquiries

   175.    Preliminary inquiries—registrar  

           Division 12.4--Dismissal of complaints

   176.    Dismissal of complaints about utilities  

           Division 12.5--Powers and decisions of ACAT

   177.    Complainant's records  
   178.    ACAT decisions  
   179.    Continuity of utility services—nonpayment of customer debt  
   180.    Discharge of customer debt  
   181.    Payment for loss or damage  
   182.    Reviewable capital contribution charges  
   183.    Reimbursement of utilities for customer debts discharged  

           Division 12.6--Confidential information

   184.    Protection of confidential information  

   PART 13--COMMUNITY SERVICE OBLIGATIONS

   219.    Purposes of pt 13  
   220.    Agreement to be sought  
   221.    Direction by Minister  
   222.    Determination of costs  
   223.    Liability for costs  
   224.    Compliance with direction  
   225.    Arbitration of dispute about cost  

   PART 14--STREETLIGHTING AND STORMWATER

           Division 14.1--General

   226.    Definitions for pt 14  
   227.    Stormwater network  
   228.    Stormwater network code and boundary  
   229.    Streetlight network  
   229A.   Streetlight network framework  
   229B.   Draft streetlight network code  
   230.    Streetlight network code approval  

           Division 14.2--Territory network operations

              Subdivision 14.2.1--General powers

   231.    Installation of territory network facilities  
   232.    Maintenance of territory network facilities  
   233.    National land  

              Subdivision 14.2.2--Performance of territory network operations

   234.    Damage etc to be minimised  
   235.    Notice to land-holder  
   235A.   Notice to owner of structure—territory network operations  
   236.    Notice about lopping trees etc on private land—territory network  
   237.    Territory network operations affecting heritage significance  
   238.    Notice to utilities  
   239.    Removal of Territory's property and waste  
   240.    Land to be restored  
   241.    Compensation  

              Subdivision 14.2.3--Authorised people and entry to premises

   242.    Territory service authorised people  
   243.    Identity cards  
   244.    Entry to premises—territory network operations  
   245.    Entry to premises—inspection of connections etc  

              Subdivision 14.2.4--Miscellaneous

   246.    Order to enforce exercise of functions  
   247.    Ownership of territory network facilities  

           Division 14.3--Protection of territory networks

   248.    Interference with territory networks  
   249.    Territory network protection notices  
   250.    Territory network protection action affecting heritage significance  

   PART 15--VICARIOUS LIABILITY

   251.    References in pt 15 to proceeding under this Act  
   252.    Liability of corporations  
   253.    Liability of people other than corporations  

   PART 16--MISCELLANEOUS

   254.    Determination of fees  
   255.    Approved forms—ICRC  
   256.    Approved forms—Minister  
   257.    Evidentiary certificate—Government programs  
   258.    Evidence of authorisation by utility  
   259.    Former water and sewerage rates schemes—extended operation  
   260.    Compensation—safety net  
   260A.   Reminder notices and disconnection warning notices—ACAT  
   261.    Regulation-making power  
           SCHEDULE 1
           ENDNOTES