Under Chapter 8 of the Access Code, if a service provider’s access arrangement requires it to submit price lists to the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) for approval, the service provider must submit to the ERA a proposed price list for the next pricing year and price list information. Once submitted, the ERA is required to assess the proposed price list to ensure that it complies with the price control and pricing methods in the service provider’s access arrangement. 

Price lists are the schedule of reference tariffs in effect in an access arrangement for a covered (regulated) network, such as Western Power’s South West Interconnected Network.

Price list information sets out information that would reasonably be required to enable the ERA (and other interested parties) to understand the elements of the proposed price list and assess its compliance with the service provider’s approved access arrangement.

Assessment of Proposed Price Lists

Under the Access Code the ERA has 15 business days from the date on which it receives a proposed price list to undertake its assessment. If the ERA does not assess the proposed price list and notify the service provider of its determination within 15 business days, then the ERA is to be taken to have approved the proposed price list.

Alternatively, if the ERA requires further information from a service provider in order to undertake its price list assessment, the ERA has 15 business days from the time it receives the required information to make its determination.

The following price determinations have been made by the ERA.