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. 297 (Advanced Metering Services Limited)) Exemption Notice 2021.

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

2. Exemption

(1) Advanced Metering Services Limited (“AMS”) is exempted from complying with the obligations in clause 5(b)(xii) of Schedule 10.8 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (“Code”) to ensure that the memory and clock of the metering device continues to operate for at least 15 days after power is lost to the device for ARC metering installations, and clause 21 of Schedule 10.7 of the Code which would allow AMS to certify an ARC metering installation that is outside the accuracy tolerances.

(2) This exemption applies only to ARC meters.

3. Term

This exemption expires at the earlier of:

1. the close of 31 August 2025; or
2. the date which all ARC meters have been displaced on the registry.

4. Reasons for Granting the Exemption

The reasons for granting this exemption are:

1. The impact of the non-compliance is not material for consumers, and the impact on market settlement is negligible.
2. It is an interim solution while ARC displaces its metering fleet.
3. It will avoid unnecessary costs of replacing ARC controllers while a full displacement program is underway.
4. in conjunction with Exemption No. 299, this exemption will allow the ARC fleet to be recertified which will allow half-hour settlement to continue.
5. Granting the exemption would meet the tests in section 11(2) of the Act.

Dated at Wellington this 3rd day of August 2021.

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