Electricity plan no surprise to Caygill

The Electricity Commission's future looks uncertain, but chairman David Caygill seems relaxed about the Government's move to axe it.

His only concern is what will happen to the commission's 50 specialist and experienced staff.

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee announced on Wednesday that his ministerial review team recommended disestablishing the commission in favour of an electricity market authority and transferring some tasks to national grid company Transpower and the Commerce Commission.

Caygill said the recommendations were not a surprise.

"One of the main criticisms of the commission in recent times has been it is not independent from the Government. The panel picks that up and recommends the future regulator be independent.

"Another criticism, which I've made myself, is that the commission has too wide a range of functions.

"I've found people aren't clear about what it does, because it does so many things.

"The panel have suggested it would be better if the new body was clearly a regulatory body; didn't have operational responsibility, didn't cover energy efficiency and things like that.

"My only concern is that in creating a new body it doesn't mean all the current staff lose their jobs and have to reapply to do the same thing."

The commission had not decided whether it would make a formal submission on the review.

"My guess is we probably will," Caygill said.

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