On 5 March 2026, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) published a draft determination and a more preferable draft retail rule (draft rule). This is in response to a rule change request from SA Power Networks and Essential Energy to improve the existing processes of retailers and distributors in registering and serving customers with life support equipment at their premises.  

The draft rule would improve outcomes for life support users and customers 

The draft rule seeks to clarify and improve roles, responsibilities, and processes of retailers and distributors in registering and serving energy customers with life support equipment at their premises. Importantly, the proposed changes and draft rule do not reduce existing protections for any life support customers. While the draft rule is a more preferable rule, it incorporates many of the elements proposed in the rule change request.

The Commission’s draft rule recognises life support protections are critical for supporting customers who use energy-dependent equipment at home, and access to those protections should be broad and fair. It also recognises an accurate register is important to ensure life support protections are applied consistently.

The draft determination covers the numerous issues raised in the rule change request under three broad themes. We cover each of the proposed changes for the draft rule under each of these three themes below.

These are: 

Theme 1: Improving definitions to better serve life support customers, and related civil penalties for breaches. The draft rule would:

• allow life support users with life-threatening conditions to be identified by a medical practitioner via the medical confirmation form, enabling retailers and distributors to better capture and use this important information
• add a definition of "life support user" to distinguish the person using life support equipment from the retailer’s customer, improving communications.

Theme 2: Improving the registration and deregistration process. This covers processes around registration, ongoing obligations to registered customers, and deregistration of life support customers. The proposed changes and draft rule:

• makes retailers responsible for all aspects of the registration and deregistration process
  requires retailers to annually check with life support customers to confirm their details remain accurate
• requires retailers to inform embedded network operators when a relevant customer registers for life support.  

Theme 3: Improving communication methods to contact life support customers. The draft rule would allow:

• a second person to be contacted about life support notifications, to support the customer
• life support customers to be contacted by their preferred means.

The draft rule would not:

• mandate deregistration where a customer does not provide medical confirmation
• limit the number of registration attempts a customer can make
• require customers to re-register after a given period
• reduce any civil penalties for breaches of life support protections.

This draft determination and the draft rule contribute to our vision for A consumer-focused net zero energy system, specifically our consumer priority that seeks to inform, empower and protect consumers individually and as a collective. The draft rule seeks to maintain low barriers for life support customers to access life support protections and improve definitions, processes and communications to ensure they are applied as consistently as possible for all life support customers.

Submissions will close 16 April 2026

Stakeholders are invited to provide written submissions on the draft determination by 16 April 2026 via the AEMC website.  

The Essential Services Commission of Victoria is consulting on the same issues  

The Essential Services Commission of Victoria (ESC Vic) is considering the changes proposed in the rule change as part of its review of life support protections in Victoria.  

We are engaging with the ESC Vic as part of this rule change and through these interactions, we have aligned life support roles, responsibilities, and processes to the greatest extent possible. We also have aligned the publication dates and consultation periods.  

Background  

The rule change was submitted by SA Power Networks and Essential Energy on 23 August 2024 and sought to improve the existing processes of retailers and distributors in registering and serving customers with life support equipment at their premises.  

The rule change proposal stemmed from the Energy Charter’s #BetterTogether Life Support Customer initiative and consultation, which considered that:

• distributors and retailers cannot readily identify life support customers with critical equipment needs compared to those using life support equipment to improve the quality of life.
• Life support registers are inaccurate because of unclear processes and responsibilities.
• Communications with life support customers often do not happen according to customer preferences.

This rule change suggested ten changes to life support rules, processes, and penalties under the NERR. A consultation paper was published on 31 July 2025. Submissions closed on 4 September 2025.

Stakeholders were invited to provide written submissions on the consultation paper by 4 September 2025 via the AEMC website.  

On 16 October, we published a notice to extend the Improving life support processes rule change until 19 February 2026. On 19 February 2026, we published a notice to further extend the period of time to publish the draft determination until 5 March 2026. The final determination is expected to be published in June 2026.