Dr Alan Finkel appointed to State Electricity Commission panel by Daniel Andrews

The Victorian government has revealed its expert panel appointed to resurrect the state electricity commission months after the election.

Dr Alan Finkel has been appointed to the State Electricity Commission expert panel. Picture: Oscar Colman

Australia’s former chief scientist Alan Finkel will play a key role in resurrecting Victoria’s state electricity commission.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday unveiled the expert advisory panel who will guide the return of the SEC, which was Labor’s flagship policy promise at the 2022 election.

The panel will be chaired by Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action secretary John Bradley and made up of prominent energy experts and business leaders.

It will include Mr Finkel, a neuroscientist and engineer who led the National Electricity Market Review, developed the National Hydrogen Strategy, and was on the panel that advised the 2020 Low Emissions Technology Roadmap.

Joining him will be former Australian Energy Market Operator CEO Audrey Zibelman, former Telstra CEO Andy Penn, Climateworks CEO Anna Skarbek and former executive officer of the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre, Jo Benvenuti.

Mr Andrews said the panel was well placed to guide early works.

“We promised we wouldn’t waste a moment setting up the SEC to put power back in Victorians’ hands, and we’re getting on with it – with our expert panel up and running to make sure we deliver cheap, clean energy for Victorians,” he said.

But the Premier refused to specify how much household bills would come down by under the scheme.

“At no point did I provide a quotation to any household or any business,” he said.

“I have not claimed a certain dollar amount that bills would go up or down. I’ve not done that.”