The latest information on the Office of Energy's gas industry projects, policies and industry organisations is available in this Gas section of the website. Follow the links in the left hand navigation bar to read more on gas issues:
The State Government has launched an investigation into the affordability of bottled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Western Australia in response to concerns from consumers. Read more >>
On 23 August 2006, the Minister for Energy announced that the gas market moratorium will be changed to reduce the threshold at which Synergy can supply gas to customers from 1 terajoule per annum to 0.18 terajoules per annum. This change will allow Synergy to supply gas to customers with annual gas bills of more than $4000 - giving greater choide to about 2,000 additional energy consumers in Western Australia.
The supply threshold will be lifted from Verve Energy altogether. These changes came into effect on 1 July 2007. It is envisaged that when a customer transfers to Synergy, that customer is considered to remain above the Moratorium threshold into the future. This is for practical reasons and provides for consistency with the existing arrangement for electricity contestibility. The effectiveness of this arrangment will be monitored by the Retail Energy Market Company Limited.
This moratorium will automatically cease once full retail contestability in electricity is introduced but can also be amended by the Government from July 2007.
For further information on gas retail contestability click here.
The Minister for Energy introduced market reforms to the Western Australian gas retail market on 31 May 2004. These reforms include the introduction of practical full retail contestability and several new customer protection mechanisms. Read more >>
The Office of Energy administers the Gas Pipelines Access (Western Australia) Act 1998 that implements the National Third Party Access Code for Natural Gas Pipeline Systems (the Code). As well as implementing amendments to the Gas Pipeline Access Law agreed at a national level, the Office monitors the regulatory decision-making of the Economic Regulation Authority related to gas pipeline access. Read more >>
The Office of Energy advises the Government through the Minister for Energy on two intergovernmental agreements. Aside from overseeing the operation of these agreements, the Office of Energy is involved in the implementation of commitments under these agreements and the representation of State interests. Read more >>
Authorisation by the Coordinator of Energy is no longer required for new gas undertakings. Section 55 of the Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979 was repealed by Energy Operators (Powers) Amendment Act 2006, which was given Royal Assent on 5 May 2006. Read more >>
