SAPN happy to hand out new taxes to solar customers but not pay its own
Revelations about alleged global tax evasion on the 4 Corners program last night raise yet more concerns about the activities of the South Australian network company, SA Power Networks (SAPN).
“SAPN has led the charge in its attacks on rooftop solar, relentlessly seeking to tax solar customers while, it appears, its owners are working just as hard to pay none itself,” Solar Citizens Consumer Campaigner Reece Turner said.
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings or CKI, one of a string of companies named in leaked documents in the ABC’s ‘Panama Papers’ Investigation last night, controls SA Power Networks with a 51% ownership stake.
“In May 2015 the company pushed for an additional charge for all solar PV households of $100 per year. This was rejected by the AER on the grounds it was discriminatory.
The network fought back through the Federal Court where it again lost.
“The network company is now proposing a new tariff structure that it estimates will halve the uptake of solar over the next five years.
“Their ruthless attempts to slow down the uptake the solar transition, and penalise solar customers in South Australia look even more ridiculous in light of these latest revelations.
“Regulators and the general public must surely look very poorly on a company like this that wants to hand out new taxes to solar customers but do all it can to avoid paying its own,” he said.
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