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Electricity Reform Act 2000
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4 Interpretation
(1) In this Act:
AER means the Australian Energy Regulator established by
section 44AE of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth).
authorised officer means a person appointed under Part 6 as an
authorised officer.
condition includes a limitation or restriction.
connection agreement means a contract or agreement between a
network provider and a network user who:
(a) is connected to the network provider's network; or
(b) receives network services from the network provider.
consumer protection framework, for Part 3, Division 5A, see
section 44A.
contravention includes a failure to comply.
customer means a person who receives, or wants to receive, a
supply of electricity for final consumption and includes:
(a) the occupier for the time being of a place to which electricity is
supplied;
(b) where the context requires – a person seeking an electricity
supply; and
(c) a person of a class declared by the Regulations to be
dedicated connection asset, see Chapter 10 of the National
Electricity (NT) Rules (as in force from time to time).
designated network asset, see Chapter 10 of the National
Electricity (NT) Rules, as in force from time to time.
disconnect, an electricity supply, includes a procedure to interrupt
or discontinue the electricity supply to a customer.
Electricity Reform Act 2000 3
electrical installation means a set of wires and associated fittings,
equipment and accessories installed in a place for conveying,
controlling, measuring or using electricity that is, or is to be, or has
been, supplied for consumption in the place, but does not include:
(a) electricity infrastructure owned or operated by an electricity
entity; or
(b) any wires, fittings, equipment or accessories connected to and
beyond an electrical outlet at which fixed wiring terminates
(other than a electrical outlet used to connect sections of fixed
wiring).
electricity entity means a person licensed under Part 3 to carry on
operations in the electricity supply industry and includes a person
who has been licensed to carry on operations in the electricity
supply industry under that Part whose licence has been suspended
or cancelled or has expired.
electricity infrastructure means:
(a) electricity generating plant;
(b) powerlines;
(c) substations for converting, transforming or controlling
electricity;
(d) equipment for metering, monitoring or controlling electricity;
and
(e) any wires, equipment or other things (including tunnels and
cavities) used for, or in connection with, the generation,
transmission, distribution or supply of electricity.
electricity network means the assets that together are operated
by the network provider for the purposes of transporting electricity
from generators of electricity to a transfer point with another
network or to consumers of electricity.
electricity officer means a person appointed under Part 4 as an
electricity officer.
electricity pricing order, see section 44(1).
electricity retailer means an electricity entity that holds a licence
under Part 3 authorising the retail selling of electricity.
Electricity Reform Act 2000 4
electricity supply industry means the industry involved in the
generation, supply and sale of electricity or other operations of a
kind prescribed by the Regulations.
failed retailer means an electricity retailer in respect of which the
Utilities Commission has determined under section 44D to appoint
the retailer of last resort to sell electricity to that retailer's
generation, of electricity, means the operation of any kind of
electricity generating plant and all incidental and related operations,
but does not include anything declared by Regulations not to be
generation of electricity.
insolvency event, in relation to an electricity retailer, means any of
the following:
(a) an insolvency official is appointed in respect of the electricity
retailer or any property of the electricity retailer;
(b) an order is made by a court of competent jurisdiction for the
winding up or dissolution of the electricity retailer;
(c) a resolution is passed for the winding up or dissolution of the
electricity retailer, in accordance with the Bankruptcy
Act 1996 (Cth) or Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
insolvency official means a receiver, a receiver and manager, an
administrator, a provisional liquidator, a liquidator, a trustee in
bankruptcy or a person having a similar function.
land includes:
(a) an estate or interest in land (including an easement); or
(b) a right or power over or in respect of land.
National Electricity (NT) Law, see section 3(1) of the National
Electricity (Northern Territory) (National Uniform Legislation)
National Electricity (NT) Rules, see section 3(1) of the National
Electricity (Northern Territory) (National Uniform Legislation)
National Electricity Rules means the National Electricity Rules as
defined in section 2(1) of the National Electricity Law set out in the
Schedule to the National Electricity (South Australia) Act 1996 (SA).
Electricity Reform Act 2000 5
network provider means a person licensed under Part 3 to
operate an electricity network.
network services means the services provided to network users
by a network provider.
Network Technical Code means a network technical code, and
any associated network planning criteria, made under section 37F.
network user means a person who has been granted access to the
electricity network by the network provider in order to transport
electrical energy to or from a particular point.
occupier, of land or a place, means a person who has or is entitled
to possession or control of the land or place.
operations include activities.
Power and Water Corporation means the Power and Water
Corporation established under the Power and Water Corporation
Act 1987.
powerline means:
(a) a set of cables for the transmission or distribution of electricity
and their supporting or protective structures, conduits and
equipment; and
(b) associated equipment for the transmission or distribution of
electricity,
but does not include a telecommunications cable or associated
equipment.
power system means a system for generating and supplying
electricity and includes a part of the system.
related body corporate means:
(a) in respect of the Power and Water Corporation – a business
division that would be a subsidiary within the meaning of the
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) if the Power and Water
Corporation were a body corporate to which the Corporations
Act 2001 (Cth) applies; or
(b) in respect of another body corporate – a body corporate that is
related to the first-mentioned body by virtue of section 50 of
the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
Electricity Reform Act 2000 6
residential customer means a customer who purchases or wishes
to purchase electricity for domestic purposes for use at residential
premises.
Retail Code means the Code made by the Utilities Commission
under section 44B.
retailer of last resort means the RetailCorp as defined in section 3
of the Power Retail Corporation Act 2014.
retailer of last resort arrangements means arrangements to plan
for and respond to circumstances in which an electricity retailer
ceases to be authorised, or is otherwise ineligible, to sell electricity.
RoLR transfer event, in relation to an electricity retailer, means
any of the following:
(a) the electricity retailer's licence under Part 3 is cancelled;
(b) the electricity retailer fails to meet a requirement under the
Retail Code to provide credit support in respect of a payment
to:
(i) the Power and Water Corporation; or
(ii) an entity that provides electricity generation;
(c) an insolvency event occurs in relation to the electricity retailer;
(d) any other event prescribed by regulation that occurs in relation
to the electricity retailer.
selling, of electricity, means trading in electricity (including the
selling of electricity to customers) but does not include an activity
prescribed by the Regulations not to be selling of electricity.
supply, of electricity, means physically conveying electricity to a
customer by transmission or distribution.
System Control Technical Code means a system control
technical code made under section 37B.
system controller means a person licensed under Part 3 to
exercise system control over a power system.
telecommunications means transmitting telephonic, radio,
computer, television or other signals.
Electricity Reform Act 2000 7
transfer date, in relation to the customers of a failed retailer,
means the day determined by the Utilities Commission under
section 44D(2).
Utilities Commission means the Utilities Commission established
by the Utilities Commission Act 2000.
Note for subsection (1)
The Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be
relevant to this Act.
(2) A reference in this Act to a powerline, network, infrastructure or
other property of an entity includes a reference to a powerline,
network, infrastructure or other property that is not owned by the
entity but is operated by the entity.