Electricity retailers operating in NECF jurisdictions must register and manage their energy plan details using the Energy Made Easy (EME) platform, in line with the AER Retail Pricing Information Guidelines.


While most energy plans are considered “generally available” (publicly marketed and open to any eligible customer), there is a special category known as “restricted plans.” These are treated differently under the Guidelines and are especially relevant to retailers selling within embedded networks.


 What Is a Restricted Plan?

A restricted plan is a plan that:

  • Is not marketed to the general public, and
  • Is tailored to an individual customer or an exclusive group based on their specific circumstances.


Examples:

  • “Friends and family” or staff-only plans
  • Negotiated rates for customers with multiple sites
  • Plans for embedded network customers
  • Hardship or concession customer plans
  • “Save” or “win-back” offers
  • Plans only available to pilot program participants

 

Special Considerations for Embedded Network Retailers

Retailers that operate within embedded networks (e.g. apartment blocks, shopping centres) often sell plans that:

  • Are only available to customers within that specific embedded network
  • Are not available to the broader market
  • May not appear on general advertising or comparison sites

As such, these are considered restricted plans.

Therefore, Active Utilities must still register these plans in EME, but with different obligations.

 

What the Active Pricing Department Must Do 

Even if a plan is restricted:

  • Create and register the plan in EME
  • Allow EME to generate the required plan documents:
  • Basic Plan Information Document (BPID)
  • Detailed Plan Information Document (DPID)
  • Ensure the plan is labelled as "restricted" and that the documents state:
     “This plan is not available to all customers.”

 

What Active is Not Required to Do

As opposed to on market energy retailers, Active is not required to publish the BPID or DPID for restricted plans on:

  • The Active website
  • The public EME site

Active Utilities does not need to market or advertise these plans

 

If a Customer asks for the BPID…

If you're offering a restricted plan and a customer requests the BPID:

  • Tell them it’s available and explain what the BPID is (a summary of the plan’s key details).
  • Send it within 5 business days by email or post.
  • Don’t ask for unnecessary personal or technical info — only what’s needed to confirm eligibility (e.g. distribution zone or metering setup).

 

Informing Customers During Online Sign-Up:

During any online sign-up process for a restricted plan, inform customers that a BPID is available upon request.

  • Advise the customer that the BPID is an information sheet containing all the key details of a plan.

 

Providing BPIDs Upon Request:

Retailers are required to advise a customer of the availability of the BPID for a restricted plan and provide it upon request.


In-Person Marketing Activities:

During any door-to-door sales or other in-person marketing activities, provide the customer with:

  • A BPID (which will contain a link to the DPID at the time of contact.
  • A hard copy of the DPID upon request.


Exemptions from Providing BPIDs:

A retailer does not need to provide the customer with a BPID and DPID if the door-to-door sales or other marketing activity ends promptly without any conversation in relation to prices or plans (e.g., if the customer refuses to engage).