Electricity Safety Act 2022 (TAS)

The Electricity Safety Act 2022 was recently passed in Tasmania and is designed to regulate the safety of electricity infrastructure, electrical installations, and electrical equipment. This case involved the interpretation of the Act's provisions concerning the obligations of electricity entities, owners, and operators regarding the maintenance and safety of electricity infrastructure and electrical installations. The key legal issue was whether the Act required an electricity entity to take all reasonable steps to ensure that electricity infrastructure and electrical installations were safe and maintained in a safe condition, even if they were beyond the point of supply. The court found that the Act did indeed impose such obligations on electricity entities, owners, and operators. The court reasoned that the plain language of the Act indicated that these parties were required to take all reasonable steps to ensure safety, irrespective of whether the infrastructure or installation was beyond the point of supply. The court also noted that the penalties for non-compliance were severe, reinforcing the importance of these safety obligations. The outcome was that the electricity entity, owner, or operator must comply with the Act's requirements for safety and maintenance, regardless of the location of the infrastructure or installation. The final order was that the entity, owner, or operator must ensure that all electricity infrastructure and electrical installations are safe and maintained in a safe condition, in accordance with the Act's provisions.