Customers want reliable, safe and affordable electricity supply. Owning some of the most efficient networks in the country means benefits can be passed on to customers and the community. Meeting reliability standards and excellence in customer service is a key focus. Our businesses regularly engage with and survey customers and key stakeholders to gain greater insight into how services can be improved.
Customers and Community
With our investment businesses, we have an important role in the communities in which we operate by ensuring a security of supply that is delivered safely, cost effectively and reliably to customers. Stakeholder engagement is a key focus and is considered in everything we do. Our businesses manage a diverse set of stakeholders including customers, communities, agencies, regulators, state governments and the Federal Government. We seek to build strong relationships to engage effectively across all these stakeholder groups.
With our investment businesses, as a significant employer, we have an important role in supporting the social and economic wellbeing of those communities. Through our community engagement programs and partnerships, we aim to build strong, deeper connections within our communities.
By understanding our customers’ objectives and developing shared goals, we can identify mutually beneficial opportunities and create a positive customer experience. During 2019, we continued to strengthen our customer relationship by engaging with our customers regularly. Engagement included face to face meetings, digital interactions and regular events such as project and industry forums. Overall we increased the number of customer engagements to 420 compared to 200 in the prior year.
– TransGrid
SA Power Networks is committed to engaging and collaborating with customers to drive better outcomes for customers, the business and the community. There are several consultative groups that ensure the interests of customers are considered and provide a platform for ongoing, meaningful engagement.
These include:
– Customer Consultative Panel – established in 2009 as a forum to ensure the customer voice is considered in decision making. The CCP consists of a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in shaping decision making.
– Arborist Reference Group – established in 2014 to work with SA Power Networks to deliver a range of strategic initiatives and improvements to vegetation management near powerlines.
– Community Reference Group – established in 2017 to provide a forum for discussion on issues facing particular groups within the community, particularly vulnerable customers.
– LGA Working Group (vegetation management) – established in 2014 with a group of representative councils to work with SA Power Networks to deliver a range of improvements to vegetation management near powerlines.
– Connections Working Group – established in August 2019 to work with electrical contractors and energy consultants to improve customer experience in the connections process.
– Public Lighting Working Group – established in December 2018 to provide a representative group for councils to work with the LGA and SA Power Networks on public lighting matters and seek input from councils and stakeholders on the transition from negotiated distribution services to alternative control services.
– Tariffs Working Group – established in October 2019 to work with customers on residential and business network tariffs.
– DER Integration Working Group – a group established for Reset focussed on DER Integration and future energy transition.
TransGrid has implemented BeSafeKids, a program that educates children about electrical safety. The program is designed to inform youngsters about the importance of safety around common electrical items and TransGrid’s assets. BeSafeKids is targeted at communities where we are actively working or have assets nearby. BeSafeKids covers a range of areas including:
– Staying safe around TransGrid’s assets
– History of electricity
– Brief overview of TransGrid, including our commitment to the environment.
The BeSafeKids program is free, and can be presented to individual classrooms or the whole school.