Here we are already closing in on the summer break and time just to sneak in a final BULB for the year. Keeping this issue short and sweet - we know many of you are busy winding up - some of the highlights include mention of the review into electricity security, a new version of the 'Guide' available soon, AER's win in the courts, our very own success story and a quirky experiment to try over the summer. And the UL Jukebox has entered into the spirit of things with a Christmas jingle ... with a difference!
Wishing you all a joy-filled holiday season.
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The BULB aims to be informative and inspiring - providing a platform for ongoing support to graduates of the Utilities Literacy Training for Community Workers.
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Government Update: Finkel Report into Electricity Market Security
Following the South Australian blackout in September, Australia’s Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, was asked to chair a review into the Future Security of Australia’s National Electricity Market. The Preliminary Report of the review was released at a Council of Australian Governments meeting just a few days ago.
The Report highlights the speed of change in the electricity sector, with unprecedented new technologies allowing residential consumers to drive that transformation. “We are feeling the force of a global shift away from traditional electricity generation technologies to greater reliance on solar and wind generated electricity, which have very different characteristics,” Dr Finkel said.
“The goal is to ensure we have a secure electricity supply, at an affordable price for all Australian consumers, while meeting our international obligations to lower emissions,” the Chief Scientist wrote.
Carbon emissions scheme another political football
Media reporting of the Preliminary Report highlighted the extent to which the direction of energy policy is contested by various political stakeholders. The Report was released at the end of a week in which the Federal Energy Minister, Josh Frydenberg, had first flagged, and then dismissed, an emissions intensity scheme, before leaving for Antarctica.
Information about the review, including the Preliminary Report, is available here. The Report invites submissions from the public, which are due by Tuesday 21 February 2017.
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The heart of the Review’s task is to find solutions to address the so-called energy trilemma – policies that simultaneously provide a high level of energy security and reliability, universal access to affordable energy services, and reduced emissions. This is easier said than done. There is a tension between these three objectives. For example, a higher level of energy security has cost implications. A careful balancing exercise is required. At the centre of the energy trilemma triangle, and the core of the Review, are consumers and the choices they make.
Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market, December 2016
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Consumer Update: In the courts - SAPN to accept revenue limit
We are particularly pleased to distribute good tidings at this time of year. And some good news for South Australian consumers was the recent outcome of a legal battle between South Australian Power Networks (SAPN) and the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
Last year the AER had made a decision about the amount of money South Australia’s monopoly electricity network provider was able to recover from consumers to cover costs over the next five years (to 2020). In other words, the AER set limits to this amount. SAPN then contested the AER’s decision because they wanted to recover an extra $250 million.
The Australian Competition Tribunal decided the AER had not made any errors in their calculation and rejected SAPN’s appeal. The AER had made a fair assessment of the costs to maintain an efficient network business and so the limit they set sticks.
AER Chair Paula Conboy said that electricity bills are “a concern to many households and businesses in South Australia. Distribution charges make up about 38 per cent of the bill of SA Power Networks’ typical residential customers. Today’s decision will help provide some predictability and stability in distribution network prices.”
Let’s hope the result helps to keep the lid on more increases to electricity bills linked to distribution costs... for a while anyway. AER’s news release can be seen here and ABC report here.
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New Resources: REES brochure
 In BULB #5 we signaled a change to the eligibility criteria for home energy audits under REES. When financial counsellors assess clients as facing energy-related financial stress, they can refer them directly to REES home energy providers for a home energy audit.
The Community Energy Services team at DSD has put together a brochure outlining these referral options. The brochure also summarises the purpose of the Scheme, the services available, eligibility and contact numbers for REES providers. It is therefore a useful resource for all community workers and volunteers who have clients struggling with energy affordability.
The REES brochure can be viewed here. Contact us if you would like printed copies of the brochure.
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The 'Guide'
The updated Guide to electricity, gas and SA Water services is almost ready!
After 12 months in circulation, the Guide to electricity, gas and SA Water services has proven to be a functional and informative resource that de-mystifies energy and water information for community workers. To ensure you have the most up-to-date information at your fingertips, the Energy Division of the South Australian government is updating the guide for 2017.
They have taken on feedback received from users and have made a few tweaks to the content. They have also added new information, including advanced digital meters (smart meters) and renewable energy.
New guides will be distributed to community and Housing SA workers across the state in early 2017. If you don’t receive a copy by the beginning of February, please email the Energy Partners Program energyadvice@sa.gov.au or call 8204 1888. PDF copies will also be available.
Thanks to Kate Potter from Energy Markets and Programs, DSD, for this contribution.
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 Spotlight: DIY Holiday Desalination Plant!
This summer, kids and other curious kitchen scientists might like to try this simple solar-powered water purification experiment. Who knows when you might end up stranded on a desert island without fresh water … and only a roll of cling film in your beach bag!
You’ll need a large bowl, a small bowl (replace with different sized coconut shells if you are on said deserted island), some plastic wrap, and a small pebble or marble. Put the salty water in the big bowl (you might like to add some food colouring, as in the image) and then the smaller bowl inside, making sure you don’t get any of the salty, contaminated water in the small bowl.
Cover loosely with cling wrap, place the pebble on top above the small bowl and ensure the plastic is firmly attached to the outside of the big bowl. Then let nature do its thing: the air and water inside will heat up, causing evaporation; water droplets will then form on the underside of the plastic and run down and splash into the small bowl. And presto! By the end of a really hot day you may have a nice little container of crystal clear, purified water.
So, if you ever travel beyond the city limits, you’ll be glad to have this potentially life-saving tidbit filed away in your memory! For a somewhat more scientific explanation of what is going on, go to kitchen pantry scientist.
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UL Training Update: new workshops in 2017
The first set of our new half-day modules has wound up and the feedback we received has been overwhelmingly positive. We have made some changes to the running order of the modules and updated content where applicable. The new modules now look like this:
- Bills and Meters Making sense of bills and meters – ‘Why is my bill so high?”
- Getting a Better Deal Contracts, EnergyMadeEasy website and retailer marketing
- Saving Energy and Water Household usage: calculate running costs; detect trouble spots
- Help in Hardship Rules on hardship and disconnection; concessions and assistance
- Innovation and Change Solar power and batteries; energy networks and tariff reform
Training calendar ready for term 1 next year
Each module will be offered twice during first term next year at our office in Bowden. To register see the calendar here and click on the dates of your choice. If you know anyone who might be interested in the training, please forward this newsletter to them or send them the calendar. If you wish to host training at your organisation please get in touch with us - we can deliver training state-wide!
Community Workers can select to attend any number of the modules and a Utilities Literacy Certificate will be issued to participants who attend all five.
See you there!
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Your success stories: A Case of Mistaken Identity...
We like to share your stories of how you’ve made a difference to your clients’ ability to afford essential utilities. However, as 2016 draws to a close, we’re taking stock of our own success here at UCWB Utilities Literacy.
We aim to help trainees to help others, but because we all receive utilities bills, sometimes we can unravel utilities issues for trainees too. Here’s an example:
“Jane, an Adelaide-based community worker, had quite recently moved into Number 5B, a new house built at the back of Number 5. In the week that she attended Utilities Literacy training, she received an electricity bill – a final bill – addressed to her at Number 5A – an address which did not exist. Keen to maintain her excellent financial standing, she would have simply paid the bill, in spite of her concern at it being a final bill so soon after having the electricity connected.
But after the bill reading exercise, she looked at it more closely. It occurred to Jane that the next door neighbours at Number 7 had recently moved out. Her investigation revealed that the final bill was indeed for Number 7. Exactly how she had received it at 5B, though it was addressed to 5A, remained something of a mystery, but Jane was reassured that her electricity would not be disconnected and that she was not liable for the due amount of several hundred dollars.”
In three years, we’ve run 42 two-day training workshops and a further three specially-tailored single day workshops for 425 community workers across metropolitan and regional South Australia. We’ve created two half-day extension workshops and run several full-day follow-up events for trainees. Most recently, we’ve trialled a series of half-day training modules as an alternative to the two-day commitment. Those who’ve attended the training have been overwhelmingly positive in their feedback (you are so nice to us!).
We finish the year with this 7th edition of the BULB, which goes out to a list of 450 subscribers.
Enjoy your holidays, and happy 2017!
Heather Merran and Stephen Graham
Utilities Literacy Educators
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We would like to celebrate and promote what you have done to assist members of the community to reduce hardship associated with electricity, gas and water utilities.
If you can share examples of ways you have helped and what difference it has made, either with an individual client or group, we would love to know. Your story might inspire or encourage other community workers.
Give us a call or flick us an email. Who knows, maybe your story will be published in the next edition of the BULB!
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 “Utilities Pursuit”
Your UL Quiz!
Looks like Millicent in the south-east has a winning streak - two trainees from here among the three winners this issue! Well done everyone who participated. Now for the drum roll, the top three were:
- Lui Palombi, Financial Counsellor, Salvation Army
- Janette Stringer, NILS Officer with ac.care, Millicent
- Amanda Hinton, volunteer with Millicent Community Centre
The correct answers:
B – 4 modules in term 4 2016
A – $776 the average debt for electricity
B – 3% drop in SA Water consumption charges
Three multiple choice questions to test your UL knowledge. All responses with three correct answers will go into a DRAW to win a double pass to their local cinema (send your entries in by 22 December). Our tip? Answers to all of the questions can be found in this edition of the BULB - Ready, Steady, Go!
1. The Finkel Report will review...
A. a series of burst water mains belonging to SA Water
B. retailers obligations in the REEScheme
C. the future security of Australia's energy market
2. The next version of the 'Guide to electricity, gas and SA Water services' will include additional information on:
A. smart meters
B. telecommunications
C. hardship programs
3. The Christmas carol from Ombudsman Services UK begins the third verse with "On the third day of Christmas energy companies came to me with ...
A. "less cold calling"
B. "simple tariff options"
C. "bills we can really understand"
Done! Send us the answers with your name and a postal address for your chance to win a double cinema pass.
The fine print: Any subscriber to the BULB can send us a response to the Quiz, however eligibility for the prize is restricted to graduates of any utilities literacy training.
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The UL JukeBox
“On the first day of Christmas, energy companies came to me with bills we can really understand…”
To put us in the spirit of things, we thought some traditional Christmas carol singing was eminently suitable for our December issue... Only the lyrics for this standard number have been somewhat altered by Britain’s Ombudsman Services and their team of indefatigable carol singers.
Tip: When you have had enough, fast forward to the end to see the Ombudsman himself make a no-nonsense entrance.
Wishing one and all a fabulous finish to the year and [still humming along] “bills we can really understand…”
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The Utilities Literacy Program supports people to reduce financial hardship associated with electricity, gas and water utilities.
4 ways to manage your energy and water bills
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