[perthbashi] How you are treated by Local Member – Energy matters

 

 

 

Good Morning Manjur

 

There is no doubt that the views expressed in my second email to you are solely mine, as you were asking me to respond to your questions in your follow up email.

 

Please let me know when you would like to have a discussion with Mr Hatton.

 

Regards

 

Haider Zaman

Research Officer

Office of Chris Hatton MLA | Member for Balcatta

Suite 3 | 36 Cedric Street, STIRLING WA 6021

Phone: (08) 9207 1538

Fax:     (08) 9207 1539

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Haider,

  Fir you  dodge the questions then you appears to be playing with philosophy. I also wanted to know what his opinion about ad. b) before I vote for him. I am sure the answers do not represent Mr. Hatton’s view but showing off your own wizardry.

 

I am hoping meet him personally and discuss these issues face to face.

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

Manjur Sarder

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Manjur

 

Thank you for your follow up email.

 

1. The concept of fairness is often a subjective one – what’s fair for one may not be fair for another. Synergy has this policy to make sure the bills are cleared on time without delay. You were aware of Synergy’s policy therefore you knew that you will incur the late charge for paying late. Easiest way out would have been to settle the bill on time. It would be unfair if you were charged a late fee without there being any prior knowledge of it.
2. Some are in favour of this and some aren’t. There are convincing arguments to be made on both fronts.

 

Hope the responses were helpful to put things in perspective. Please feel free to contact the office if you’d like assistance with anything else.

 

Regards

 

Haider Zaman

Research Officer

Office of Chris Hatton MLA | Member for Balcatta

Suite 3 | 36 Cedric Street, STIRLING WA 6021

Phone: (08) 9207 1538

Fax:     (08) 9207 1539

 

  

 

 

Dear Mr. Haider,

Thanks for your reply on behalf of Mr. Hatton. However you did not respond to all the points. Namely,

1. Is it fair that Synergy charges appox. 5 dollars for sending a reminder email for unpaid bills?
2. Should Western Australia open supply market to multiple private retailers like the eastern states?

 

Finally your response supports biased policy of buying back energy from the clients. You forget to mention that some clients are paid higher than what I am being paid.

 

Please respond to the above issues.

 

 

Kind regards

 

Manjur Sarder

 

 

Good Afternoon Mr Sarder

 

Thank you for your email. Mr Hatton has read the email and asked that I respond on his behalf.

 

We have had a number of constituents asking questions about the tariff and the buyback scheme and I found that a single response wasn’t sufficient due to the complexity of the system of calculating rates. To avoid going back and forth, I provide comprehensive information to address your questions.

 

Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme

·         Synergy’s Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme (the Scheme) is the State Government program under which Synergy buys excess renewable-sourced electricity from eligible residential customers.

·         Synergy’s Scheme rate is independently assessed and approved by the Coordinator of Energy, a statutory government office established under legislation. 

·         Synergy’s Scheme rate is calculated based on the energy and other costs a retailer notionally avoids as a result of purchasing renewable-sourced electricity from Scheme customers instead of a conventional generator and is similar to the rate paid to other generators in the market. 

­   The difference between Synergy’s Scheme rate and residential electricity tariffs reflects the costs Synergy incurs in supplying electricity to its consumers over and above generation costs. 

­   In addition to generation costs, Synergy faces customer service, billing, meter reading, electricity transmission and distribution, and environmental compliance costs, which are not avoided when it buys renewable-sourced electricity from customers under the Scheme.

·         Because they are based on different components, Synergy’s Scheme rate and the retail electricity tariff rate will not necessarily change by the same amount at the same time.

·         Synergy’s current Scheme rate of 7.135 cents per kilowatt hour has been in place since October 2014.

 

 

Synergy’s regulated tariffs for residential customers remain well below the cost of supplying electricity and are heavily subsidised by taxpayers.  It is primarily because of this large subsidy (forecast to be $281 million in 2016-17) that there is not a relationship between increases in electricity tariffs and increases in the buyback rate under the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme.

 

Synergy’s regulated tariffs have increased in recent years primarily to reduce the level of the subsidy, rather than reflecting increases in the cost of electricity supply.  The buyback rate under the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme, on the other hand, reflects costs savings to Synergy when a customer supplies energy into the electricity grid.  These costs saving have changed very little over the same period, hence the buyback rate has not increased to the same extent as the increase in regulated electricity tariffs.

 

The daily supply charge component of the regulated tariff is intended to partially recover some of the fixed costs of supplying electricity that are not dependent on a customer’s overall electricity use.  These costs include part of the network charges and retail operating costs.  The variable usage charge is intended to recover the remaining part of these fixed costs, as well as other costs incurred when a customer draws electricity from the grid, such as the cost of generating that electricity.

 

I hope this information is of assistance. Please let me know if you’d like assistance with anything else.

 

Kind Regards

 

Haider Zaman

Research Officer

Office of Chris Hatton MLA | Member for Balcatta

Suite 3 | 36 Cedric Street, STIRLING WA 6021

Phone: (08) 9207 1538

Fax:     (08) 9207 1539

 

 

From: Manjur Sarder [mailto:m.sarder@optusnet.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 February 2017 12:23 PM
To: Hatton, Chris <Chris.Hatton@mp.wa.gov.au>
Subject: Energy matters

 

 

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Dear Mr. Hatton,

 

I am bringing to your attention the issue of unfair charges applied by Synergy to the clients.

 

1. Please refer to the last item on the attached bill: Overdue notice fee $4.75  (5.214 with GST)

If a bill is not paid within due date a reminder letter issued automatically synergy computer system emailing almost at no cost to Synergy. The client subsequently pays the bill, regardless the client $5.214 is charged in his next bill as in my case. This amounts to hefty 40%p.a. in my case. In comparison Water Corporation charges only 12%p.a. Synergy is billing well and above of any fairness.

 

2. Please refer to the first item on the bill. Synergy pays only 7.135 cents per kwh while selling at a hefty rate of 24.06 cents. Buying rate is trifle compared to the selling rate. It does not pay off adequately the investment I have made by installing the solar panels. This also indicates a weaker commitment of the current government towards renewable energy.

 

Synergy is the single retailer of  Electricity in Western Australia and taking advantage of the helpless clients with unfair charges and prices. I therefore request that you take necessary steps with the lawmakers of WA and relevant authorities with a view to redress the above matters.

 

Finally I would like to know your view on opening up the WA energy market to multiple retailers like the other eastern states of Australia.

 

 

Kind regards

 

Manjur Sarder

6 Landrail Rd

 

Stirling 6021

 

Ph. 0438 331657