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Early engagement during 2022 was purposefully 'broad and wide' to learn more about the topics identified in the Planning stage. The goal was to dig deeper in order to inform the next stages of engagement in 2023 and 2024.
These topics were grouped in four themes that we expect will become increasingly important to customers as the energy market shifts to renewable energy:
Affordability and equity -keeping network tariffs and charges affordable and fair for all (particularly as customers choose to electrify their homes, businesses, and vehicles)
The energy transformation - how we can enable a clean energy future and the choices made by customers and communities to help reduce carbon emissions
Customer experience - continually improving our customer services and communications and the ease of getting the information they need
Network reliability and resilience- how we improve and sustain electricity services even as severe weather events impact our infrastructure.
Customer forums
During customer forums we spoke to 112 people in 8 focus groups across the Powercor network including online sessions for rural customers and CALD communities.
Our independent experts summarised the key insights from these sessions. They are available in the documents section on this page.
Our findings
For Powercor, the most important topic customers (as voted) were affordability and equity of electricity supplies. Customers told us that maintaining our current service level, while at the same time investing for the future, is expected.
The challenge for us is how we deliver this at the lowest cost that we can.
Specifically, customers were concerned about being able to reduce their electricity bills and proposed further education to support this objective. There was also a desire for equality in access to supply and renewables (such as solar) for all customers.
Finally, customers were interested in equity in the context of geography (ensuring that regional/rural Victoria have access to the same reliability as metro customers).
Key results arising from the remaining focus areas were:
satisfaction with reliability differed across locations within the Powercor network. Torquay, Bendigo, and Ballarat were more likely to believe they experience good reliability, while some rural areas, and towns surrounding Ballarat shared concerns about the reliability of their power given current and potential future weather conditions
Torquay customers shared an urgency to plan for the energy transition and move at speed; while conversely, Bendigo, Horsham, Ballarat and rural areas, a slower pace was desired. Rural customers understood moving towards greener forms of energy is the right thing to do; however, given current reliability issues, they were keen to avoid further issues
most customers reporting having a positive experience and there were minimal challenges. Improving accessibility to information, particularly vegetation management
issues raised by CALD communities - while not dissimilar to other customers across the network – were more likely to have been shaped by experiences overseas, language and economic barriers.
younger customers (aged 18-24) placed the most importance on reliability and resilience and the energy transformation.
The information gathered during the forums has helped us inform the topics and issues to be further explored in the Deep and Narrow engagement phase.
Early engagement during 2022 was purposefully 'broad and wide' to learn more about the topics identified in the Planning stage. The goal was to dig deeper in order to inform the next stages of engagement in 2023 and 2024.
These topics were grouped in four themes that we expect will become increasingly important to customers as the energy market shifts to renewable energy:
Affordability and equity -keeping network tariffs and charges affordable and fair for all (particularly as customers choose to electrify their homes, businesses, and vehicles)
The energy transformation - how we can enable a clean energy future and the choices made by customers and communities to help reduce carbon emissions
Customer experience - continually improving our customer services and communications and the ease of getting the information they need
Network reliability and resilience- how we improve and sustain electricity services even as severe weather events impact our infrastructure.
Customer forums
During customer forums we spoke to 112 people in 8 focus groups across the Powercor network including online sessions for rural customers and CALD communities.
Our independent experts summarised the key insights from these sessions. They are available in the documents section on this page.
Our findings
For Powercor, the most important topic customers (as voted) were affordability and equity of electricity supplies. Customers told us that maintaining our current service level, while at the same time investing for the future, is expected.
The challenge for us is how we deliver this at the lowest cost that we can.
Specifically, customers were concerned about being able to reduce their electricity bills and proposed further education to support this objective. There was also a desire for equality in access to supply and renewables (such as solar) for all customers.
Finally, customers were interested in equity in the context of geography (ensuring that regional/rural Victoria have access to the same reliability as metro customers).
Key results arising from the remaining focus areas were:
satisfaction with reliability differed across locations within the Powercor network. Torquay, Bendigo, and Ballarat were more likely to believe they experience good reliability, while some rural areas, and towns surrounding Ballarat shared concerns about the reliability of their power given current and potential future weather conditions
Torquay customers shared an urgency to plan for the energy transition and move at speed; while conversely, Bendigo, Horsham, Ballarat and rural areas, a slower pace was desired. Rural customers understood moving towards greener forms of energy is the right thing to do; however, given current reliability issues, they were keen to avoid further issues
most customers reporting having a positive experience and there were minimal challenges. Improving accessibility to information, particularly vegetation management
issues raised by CALD communities - while not dissimilar to other customers across the network – were more likely to have been shaped by experiences overseas, language and economic barriers.
younger customers (aged 18-24) placed the most importance on reliability and resilience and the energy transformation.
The information gathered during the forums has helped us inform the topics and issues to be further explored in the Deep and Narrow engagement phase.