ACCC makes right call on electricity joint purchasing group

13Apr

The State Liberals today welcomed the ACCC’s draft determination on SACOME’s joint electricity purchasing application on behalf of many South Australian businesses.

“This is good news for those employers who have been smashed by the highest electricity costs in the nation and have put up with the least reliable supply,” said Shadow Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

“The Liberal Party threw its support behind these businesses back in February, so it’s pleasing to see the ACCC will allow them as a collective to tender, negotiate and contract for the supply of their electricity requirements.

“The mining industry is a very important sector of the South Australian economy, so any move to drive down their high electricity costs will help them to succeed, expand their operations and job opportunities.

“The other parties to this application from other sectors of the economy will equally benefit from today’s determination.

“This should now be looked at across the SA economy, with the ACCC recently granting authorisation to Melbourne City Council and 13 other parties to establish a joint electricity purchasing group, involving a joint tender process.

“The State Liberals would support other SA companies going down this path, as we did with SACOME, in an effort to drive down their electricity costs.”