45Commission approval

45 Commission approval S. 45(1) substituted by No. 3/2014 s. 12(2), amended by No. 37/2020 s. 11(1). (1) Subject to this section, the Commission must consider and may, if it considers appropriate, approve— (a) a policy submitted in accordance with section 43(1); or (b) an amended financial hardship policy submitted in accordance with section 43A(3)(b) or 43B. S. 45(2) amended by No. 3/2014 s. 12(3). (2) In deciding whether to approve a policy submitted in accordance with section 43(1), or an amended financial hardship policy submitted in accordance with section 43A(3)(b) or 43B, the Commission must have regard to— (a) the essential nature of the electricity supply; and (b) community expectations that licensees will work with domestic customers to manage customers' present and future electricity usage and associated financial obligations; and (c) community expectations that the electricity supply will not be disconnected solely because of a customer's inability to pay for the electricity supply; and (d) the principle that the electricity supply to premises should only be disconnected as a last resort; and (e) the principle that there should be equitable access to financial hardship policies and that those policies should be transparent and applied consistently. S. 45(3) amended by No. 3/2014 s. 12(4). (3) The Commission must not approve a policy submitted in accordance with section 43(1), or an amended financial hardship policy submitted in accordance with section 43A(3)(b) or 43B, that does not include the provisions set out in section 43C. S. 45(4) repealed by No. 3/2014 s. 12(5), new s. 45(4) inserted by No. 37/2020 s. 11(2). (4) In addition, the Commission must not approve a policy submitted by a licensee in accordance with section 43(1), or an amended financial hardship policy submitted by a licensee in accordance with section 43A(3)(b) or 43B, if that policy or amended policy is inconsistent with a deemed Ministerial licence condition to which the licence held by the licensee is subject. S. 46 amended by Nos 62/2001 s. 70(d), 25/2004 ss 7, 8(2), 75/2004 s. 23, expired by force of No. 68/2000 s. 46(6), new s. 46 inserted by No. 60/2006 s. 3, repealed by No. 3/2014 s. 13. S. 46A inserted by No. 60/2006 s. 3, amended by No. 3/2014 s. 14, repealed by No. 28/2021 s. 10. Pt 2 Div. 6A (Heading and ss 46B–46E) inserted by No. 60/2006 s. 4.