Regulatory Impact Statement
The proposed Regulations are to be made under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (‘the Act’). The primary objectives of the proposed Regulations are to require electricity businesses with above ground electric lines in hazardous bushfire risk areas to include in their bushfire mitigation plans:
- plans to ensure that those electric lines are inspected at intervals of no longer than 37 months; and
- details of the processes and procedures for ensuring that only persons who have qualifications approved by Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) are assigned to carry out those inspections.
The proposed Regulations will revoke and remake the amendments made by the Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Amendment Interim Regulations 2010. This is being done as those interim Regulations automatically revoke on 19 October 2011.
The RIS assesses the proposed Regulations against four feasible alternatives. In particular, the RIS assesses the weighted costs and benefits of the proposed Regulations and the four alternatives against:
- the ability of each proposal to reduce bushfire risks arising from electricity asset failure;
- the substantive compliance costs of implementing each proposal; and
- the administrative burdens imposed by each proposal.
The RIS concludes that adopting the proposed Regulations is the best means of achieving the stated objectives when taking the public interest in reducing bushfire risk into account. The proposed Regulations are also consistent with the Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.
Public comments are invited on the RIS and the accompanying regulations. All comments must be in writing and should be sent to Andrew Padanyi, Legal Officer, Energy Safe Victoria, PO Box 262 Collins Street West, Vic 8007 or emailed to apadanyi@esv.vic.gov.au no later than 5pm on 4 August 2011.