Student Resource Package – School Infrastructure

Utilities (Reference 34)

Utilities funding is provided as a cash allocation as part of a school’s Student Resource Package (SRP) under the School Infrastructure items. Funding is distributed through the quarterly cash grant.

Utilities funding is provided for the following items.

• electricity
• natural (mains) and LPG gas
• water/rates
• refuse and garbage.

Telephone costs are not included under the utilities budget.

Sanitation items only costs are under the utilities budget.

Sanitation Bin (including sharps) collection is an Annual Contract (SRP Reference 36).

Reporting in CASES21

Utilities expenditure should be allocated in CASES21 to:

• Sub Program Code: 6001 – Building Services and Utilities
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86452 – Electricity
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86453 – Gas – Mains
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86454 – Gas – LPG
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86455 – Water including Water Rates
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86501 – Sanitation
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86503 – Refuse and Garbage.

The utilities budget is based on historical spending plus indexation. It is not formula driven and therefore is not automatically adjusted to reflect changes in a school’s profile.

Schools that have undergone building configuration changes or had major works that have materially impacted on utility costs may be eligible for an ongoing utilities budget adjustment to help support those additional costs.

Whole of Victorian Government energy contracts

The Department is currently a participant in whole of Victorian Government contracts that cover the supply of electricity and natural gas to all school sites (meters).

Electricity

1. Red Energy is our retailer for schools (meters) that consume >40 MWh pa.

Contacts for billing enquiries

Taimur Khan:

• Email: business@redenergy.com.au
• Phone: 1300 322 067

2. AGL is our retailer for schools (meters) that consume <40 MWh pa.

Contacts for billing enquiries

• Email: vicgov@agl.com.au
• Phone: 1300 793 477

Natural gas

Origin Energy is the provider of natural gas under a whole of government contract arrangement.

The contract commenced on 1 January 2020 and runs initially for two years.

Contact for billing and new connection enquiries

• Email: vicgovernment@originenergy.com.au
• Phone: 1800 319 299

For further tariff and contract information, see: Student Resource Package (school user log in required).

Any school not supplied under the relevant whole of Victorian Government contract must contact Mr Brett Duff on email: brett.duff@education.vic.gov.au, to arrange the transition to the appropriate whole of Victorian Government retailer. All other queries can be directed to the retailer.

In lieu of schools joining a Whole of Government contract, schools must not sign or negotiate individual or group contracts for the supply of electricity and natural gas irrespective of usage levels as per the Executive Memo 2005/19 Update on the Supply of Electricity and Natural Gas. .

Water

All schools are supplied water by their designated water authority. No government contract is in place for water.

To assist schools with managing water costs, we encourage you to join the Schools Water Efficiency Program (SWEP). SWEP is a state government initiative jointly developed and funded by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the Department of Education and Training (DET).

SWEP provides you with a program to monitor your school's water usage to save water, money and educate students about water efficiency concepts. You can register online for SWEP or learn more by visiting Schools Water Efficiency Program.

Separately, schools in Victoria are eligible for a rebate on their fixed charges for water and sewer (self-supply schools are ineligible). This initiative developed by the State Revenue Office provides a rebate of up to a maximum of $260 yearly. The application form that needs to be submitted to your local water authority can be accessed at Apply for a water and sewerage rebate or by contacting the State Revenue Office on 9628 0301.

New schools, refurbishment or major building works

Projects of this nature will involve new connections, or upgrades in infrastructure used to supply electricity or natural gas. Where this is the case, schools should make early contact with the appropriate whole of Victorian Government electricity or natural gas supplier to understand both the nature and cost of this aspect of the project.