EnergyAustralia
Encyclopedia
EnergyAustralia is a large Australian electricity
and natural gas
supplier and retailer. A subsidiary of TRUenergy
, it primarily supplies the Sydney
, Newcastle
and Central Coast
areas of New South Wales
and has, since market deregulation, increased its focus on retail supply opportunities in electricity and gas to the Victorian
market and electricity in the deregulated South East corner of Queensland
.
EnergyAustralia has origins over 100 years old, and was formed after a merger in 1996 between Orion Energy (formerly Shortland Electricity and Shortland County Council) and Sydney Electricity (formerly Sydney County Council
, Mackellar County Council and St George County Council). It was a state government enterprise of the Government of New South Wales
. In March 2011, EnergyAustralia's retail business and company name was sold to TRUEnergy, with the distribution business to remain a state government enterprise renamed Ausgrid
.
Previously the company had a price-regulated monopoly for the supply of electricity to its supply area. The residential energy market
was deregulated in 1997 and full retail contestability introduced in 2002. EnergyAustralia also increasingly conducts electricity retailing outside of New South Wales, with the introduction of full retail contestability in South Australia
, Victoria
and Queensland
.
EnergyAustralia owns its own metering services company Testing & Certification Australia, an accredited metering provider, providing contestable metering services. TCA also includes a High Power facility at Lane Cove, NSW, a NATA registered Instrument Calibration facility and was involved in electrical safety compliance testing of appliances until this division was closed in 2010, with the capability being sold to Vipac Engineers and Scientists Pty Ltd.
EnergyAustralia also offersrenewable green power which is accredited by the National GreenPower Accreditation Program. Depending on tariff type and locality, EnergyAustralia provides retail customers with a choice of 10%, 25%, 50% or 100% accredited GreenPower options. The independent watchdog organisation for Australian Green energy is Green Electricity Watch.
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
supplier and retailer. A subsidiary of TRUenergy
TRUenergy
TRUenergy is an energy company headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Founded in 1995 as a retailer and generator of electricity, and a retailer of natural gas, the company is formed from the combination of retail and generation assets purchased by Hong Kong-based CLP from Singapore Power...
, it primarily supplies the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and Central Coast
Central Coast, New South Wales
The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....
areas of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and has, since market deregulation, increased its focus on retail supply opportunities in electricity and gas to the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
market and electricity in the deregulated South East corner of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
History
Sydney County Council
The Sydney County Council was the authority responsible for electricity supplies in Sydney, Australia. The entity was created in 1936, and was elected and controlled by the municipal councils of Sydney. Between 1936 and 1952, it was responsible for electricity generation and distribution...
, Mackellar County Council and St George County Council). It was a state government enterprise of the Government of New South Wales
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
. In March 2011, EnergyAustralia's retail business and company name was sold to TRUEnergy, with the distribution business to remain a state government enterprise renamed Ausgrid
Ausgrid
Ausgrid is a state owned electricity infastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks to 1.6 million customers in Sydney, Central Coast, Hunter Valley and Newcastle areas of New South Wales....
.
Operations
The current Managing Director is George Maltabarow.Previously the company had a price-regulated monopoly for the supply of electricity to its supply area. The residential energy market
Energy market
Energy markets are those commodities markets that deal specifically with the trade and supply of energy. Energy market may refer to an electricity market, but can also refer to other sources of energy...
was deregulated in 1997 and full retail contestability introduced in 2002. EnergyAustralia also increasingly conducts electricity retailing outside of New South Wales, with the introduction of full retail contestability in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
EnergyAustralia owns its own metering services company Testing & Certification Australia, an accredited metering provider, providing contestable metering services. TCA also includes a High Power facility at Lane Cove, NSW, a NATA registered Instrument Calibration facility and was involved in electrical safety compliance testing of appliances until this division was closed in 2010, with the capability being sold to Vipac Engineers and Scientists Pty Ltd.
EnergyAustralia also offersrenewable green power which is accredited by the National GreenPower Accreditation Program. Depending on tariff type and locality, EnergyAustralia provides retail customers with a choice of 10%, 25%, 50% or 100% accredited GreenPower options. The independent watchdog organisation for Australian Green energy is Green Electricity Watch.