Phase 1 - Strategic Research & Early Engagement

'We are asking from the experts all around us, what they think matters,' Wayne Lissner, Acting GM Corporate Strategy.

We held a large scale engagement planning workshop on 11 July 2017 which was attended by members SA Power Networks’ reference groups. More than 40 people, representing a diverse range of interests, came together to review the customer research findings and help craft the engagement themes to be explored through the engagement program. They also provided valuable feedback on the proposed approaches in the next two phases of the Regulatory Reset engagement program.

As a result of their feedback, the engagement program was amended to:

• remove a proposed activity of online engagement training
• include a 1800-freecall hotline and text-back service
• hold an additional workshop in the Adelaide Hills, and
• have more targeted engagement with vulnerable members of our community.

Go here to view the Regulatory Reset Engagement Approach document, complete with workshop feedback.

We conducted research with more than 800 residential and business customers across SA in April & June. To support this we hit the streets of Adelaide, Mylor, and Aldgate, 'talking power' with local people on issues they care about.

In an outage, how do you prefer to hear from SA Power Networks?

We know that the regulatory system is complex! In order to help members of our Reference Groups understand and engage with the process, we held two briefing sessions that covered:

• SA Power Networks' business overview and strategy
• Overview of the industry
• Regulatory environment and framework
• Regulatory Determination 2015-2020

There is a lot coming up in the Reset engagement program!

Keep your finger on the pulse by registering your details here. You will receive a regular newsletter, filled with information on Reset engagement activities, and be invited to participate in consultation opportunities as they launch.

Register before 30 September and go into the running to win one of 2 x 10.5" iPad Pro's!

Understanding customer needs and priorities is at the heart of our Reset engagement. An important early step in the program was to engage an independent research consultant to provide us with a current snapshot of customer experiences, needs, values, and priorities.

Research methodology included: 8 focus groups in metro and rural regions, surveys with more than 800 residential and business customers and a number of one-on-one interviews.

SA Power Networks is the principal electricity distribution network service provider in South Australia - the poles and wires that deliver the power to homes and businesses.

Every five years, SA Power Networks is required to undergo a regulatory reset process, and submit a Regulatory Proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), which details our proposed business operations and service delivery, including:

• Our ongoing commitment to customers and community
• Changes in our environment
• Forecast expenditure
• Asset base and depreciation
• Revenue and tariffs
• Customer price impacts

We have launched a comprehensive engagement program to help us craft our 2020-25 Regulatory Proposal, due to the AER in January 2019. Register with Talking Power to keep your finger on the pulse and receive regular updates on regulatory reset engagement activities.