The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has commissioned WIK-Consult to assess operating costs for the Hunter Valley rail network, which is regulated through the Hunter Valley Coal Network Access Undertaking (HVAU). The rail infrastructure provider, the Australian Rail Track Company (ARTC), has to provide annual submissions to demonstrate its compliance with the HVAU.
For the 2015 compliance assessment, the ACCC undertook an in-depth assessment of the efficiency of ARTC’s operating expenditure in the Hunter Valley network. To assist with this assessment, the ACCC engaged WIK-Consult (and its subcontractor TÜV Rheinland) to provide independent advice on the efficiency of operating expenditure. Between December 2017 and October 2018, WIK-Consult conducted a detailed analysis of ARTC’s internal and regulatory accounts and assessed major maintenance activities.
On 18 February 2019, the ACCC released its draft determination on ARTC's annual compliance submission for the 2015 calendar year for public consultation. The draft determination and WIK-Consult’s study are available for download on ACCC’s website.
