Essential Energy is a state-owned electricity infrastructure company which owns, maintains and operates the electrical distribution networks for regional 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...

, covering 95 percent of the state, and the reticulated water network in Broken Hill, New South Wales through Essential Water.

It was formed from the previously state-owned energy retailer/supplier, Country Energy

Country Energy

Country Energy is a retail subsidiary of Origin Energy. The corporation was formally owned by the Government of New South Wales. It provides natural gas and electricity to retail customers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.-History:On 1...

, when the retail division of the company, along with the Country Energy brand, was sold by the NSW state government in 2011 to Origin Energy

Origin Energy

-History:Origin Energy was formed in February 2000, as a result of a demerger from the Australian conglomerate Boral Limited, in which the energy business was removed from the building and construction materials business to form the new company....

.