Enhancements to Victoria's energy safety legislation are now in effect.
These changes improve protections for Victorians and keep Energy Safe Victoria's tools in line with emerging technologies.
Increased penalties
Major energy companies now face much larger penalties for:
- Breaches of general duties (increasing from $277,000 to $1.66 million)
- Non-compliance with accepted Electricity Safety Management Schemes, Bushfire Mitigation Plans, and Gas Safety Cases (up from $277,000 to $1.11 million).
Renewable energy generators can also now be declared to have certain duties in line with a major electricity company. This could include solar and wind farms and big batteries.
Strengthening our energy regulator
- Energy Safe Victoria and the Minister for Energy and Resources can now accept enforceable undertakings
- Electricity suppliers and gas companies must preserve the sites of certain incidents until directed by Energy Safe
- Energy Safe can now retain items seized for 60 days
- The period within which Energy Safe can start prosecution has also increased (from 3 years from when an alleged offence occurred, to three years from when Energy Safe becomes aware of the alleged offence).
The amendments apply to the Electricity Safety Act 1998, Gas Safety Act 1997 and Pipelines Act 2005 and came into effect on 16 May 2024.
The Grimes Review
This work follows on from the independent review of Victoria’s electricity and gas network safety framework (the Grimes Review). The Grimes Review, undertaken in 2018, focused on strengthening Victoria’s energy safety regulator, Energy Safe Victoria.
The final Grimes Review report is now available on the Grimes Review.
This closing report details our continued commitment to safety. This includes the Energy Safety Review, announced in 2022, to ensure safety is keeping pace with emerging technologies.
Page last updated: 27/05/24