Following an earlier decision by SA Power Networks (SAPN) to provide $10m in relief to small South Australian customers, including businesses, the South Australian Business Chamber commends SAPN for responding to calls for help from energy intensive businesses through allowing them to better cope with high fixed network charges during the pandemic.
SAPN’s decision to allow hundreds of energy intensive businesses significantly impacted by COVID-19, like pubs, to switch to ‘actual demand’ tariffs means they will have minimal bills for the next few months as a benefit of fixed network charge relief.
Larger businesses that have observed a decrease in business activity are encouraged to enquire with their retailer on their eligibility regarding new relief measures.
SAPN’s move to provide tariff flexibility for businesses in the large customer market followed a separate policy decision by all energy networks to support those in the small customer market.
Another important feature of this latest move is that it flows more directly given the impacted customers typically have monthly bills.
The South Australian Business Chamber now encourages energy network owners and energy retailers to work together and quickly to ensure all network charge relief, particularly for small customers on quarterly bills, is passed back directly to the impacted businesses as quickly as possible.
