In accordance with section 11 of the Electricity Industry Act 2010 (“Act”), the Electricity Authority (“Authority”) gives the following notice.

Notice

1. Title and Commencement

(1) This notice is the Electricity Industry (Exemption No. 285 WEL Networks Limited)) Exemption Notice 2020.

(2) This notice comes into force on the day after the date it is notified in the New Zealand Gazette.

2. Exemption

(1) WEL Networks Limited (“WEL”) is exempted from complying with the obligations in clause 4(1)(a) of Schedule 10.3 and 4(1)(b) of Schedule 10.3 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (“Code”) to hold and comply with AS/NZS ISO 9001, the scope of which covers the activities that it undertakes or proposes to undertake.

3. Term

This exemption expires on the earlier of:

1. the close of 1 May 2023; or
2. the close of 1 May 2021 if WEL does not have ISO 55001 accreditation; or
3. the date on which WEL certifies a Category 2 or higher category meter.

4. Reasons for Granting the Exemption

The reasons for granting this exemption are:

1. there will be a reduction in costs for WEL, while still requiring WEL to maintain certification for an equivalent standard to the one that they would otherwise be required to maintain; and
2. granting the requested exemption meets the requirements in section 11(2) of the Act.

Dated at Wellington this 6th day of July 2020.

For and on behalf of the Electricity Authority:
ALLAN DAWSON, Member, Electricity Authority.

*This notice replaces the notice published in the New Zealand Gazette, 8 July 2020, Notice No. 2020-au3024.