109EPower to give emergency direction

109E Power to give emergency direction (1) Subject to this Part, the Department Head may give a written direction to a distribution company to do a thing specified in the direction if the Department Head— (a) is satisfied that an electricity outage emergency— (i) is occurring; or (ii) has occurred within 2 months before the date the Department Head proposes to give the direction; and (b) is of the opinion that giving the direction under this section to the distribution company is reasonably necessary to mitigate against the significant adverse impact of the electricity outage emergency on affected customers of the distribution company. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), the kinds of things that the Department Head may specify in the direction to be done by the distribution company include— (a) the giving of specified information to the Department Head, including— (i) the location where the distribution or supply of electricity to deemed customers of the distribution company has been disrupted; and (ii) the estimated time within which the distribution or supply of electricity to affected customers is likely to be restored; and (iii) details as to the severity of the disruption to the distribution or supply of electricity to affected customers; and (iv) affected customer supply information; and (v) any information that is prescribed; and (b) assisting, in specified ways, with the processing of applications by affected customers for payments, and the making of payments to affected customers, under specified payment schemes administered by the State which affected customers may access in or following an electricity outage emergency; and (c) providing specified relevant customer information for the administration of a payment scheme referred to in paragraph (b); and (d) providing, electronically and in hard copy, specified information about emergency relief programs and schemes that are available to affected customers (including a payment scheme referred to in paragraph (b) or relief programs or schemes administered by the Commonwealth or other entities); and (e) providing specified logistical support and assistance to providers of specified emergency relief programs and schemes being accessed or that may be accessed by affected customers; and (f) requiring specified persons (being officers, employees or agents of the distribution company) to attend specified places to provide specified information to affected customers, including information about— (i) the restoration of the distribution or supply of electricity to premises of affected customers by the distribution company; and (ii) the safety of affected customers; and (iii) emergency relief programs and schemes administered by the State or the Commonwealth or other entities that are available to be accessed by affected customers in or following an electricity outage emergency; and (g) any other thing that is prescribed. ***relevant customer information*** includes— (a) names of affected customers and addresses of the premises of affected customers to which the distribution or supply of electricity has been disrupted; and (b) the number of occupants of premises referred to in paragraph (a); and (c) information as to whether electricity is being supplied to the meter at the premises of affected customers; and (d) any other information relating to affected customers held by the distribution company that is prescribed. S. 109F inserted by No. 12/2023 s. 3.