Improving our planned interruptions process

Jemena Electricity Networks (Vic) Limited (ACN 064 651 083) (JEN) Enforceable Undertaking

In April 2023, 49 JEN customers suffered an unexpected electricity outage as a result of a planned interruption that inadvertently interrupted supply to a greater area than was planned. JEN failed to provide at least four business days’ notice to these affected customers, as required by the Electricity Distribution Code of Practice (Code). 

JEN reported the instance of non-compliance in compliance with its reporting obligations to the Essential Services Commission (Commission) who, following an assessment, has accepted a court enforceable undertaking from JEN over our failure to provide the requisite notice. 

Under the enforceable undertaking, we will undertake a Compliance Improvement Action Plan (Plan) for the purpose of managing and reducing planned interruption risks and ensuring our customers are properly notified as required by the Code. Under the Plan, we will: 

• conduct annual compulsory training about obligations under the Code for relevant staff, and induction training for new staff;
• improve monitoring and internal reporting processes including cross-checking notification requirements, near-real-time alerts to management to report potential incidents and weekly compliance reporting with escalation to executive management and Board;
• improve the alignment between the physical network and the digital network model;
• extend the labelling standard to reduce risk of errors by clearing identifying the correct switch when there are multiple switches;
• enhance our geographical information system to include visibility of any abnormal switch status;
• provide six monthly progress reports to the Commission on the implementation of the enforceable undertaking; and
• provide a final report to the Commission regarding our compliance with the enforceable undertaking.

The Plan will be implemented over two years.

You may view the terms of the enforceable undertaking here.

For more information on enforceable undertakings with the Commission see Electricity and gas company enforceable undertakings | Essential Services Commission.