Gas and Electricity

[Wedgie]

Got a mate moving into a new house who is unsure which Electricity and Gas company to go for. Any recommendations and reasons?

[dedja]

Best place to do research is the ESCOSA website http://www.escosa.sa.gov.au (Essential Services Commission of South Australia) ... there's an estimator on the site which will give you the best offers from the retailers.

Expect to save about 5% off the AGL standing contract on the better deals (electricity) which isn't great but prices are rising. I have a reasonable high electricity bill and have recently switched over to PowerDirect ... haven't received my first bill yet so I can't recommend them yet.

I use FA gas so have never bothered moving from the Origin Energy standing contract as I would save the equivalent of loose change at the back of the couch.

[Psyber]

I wouldn't recommend AGL - we were in Adelaide for 6 months in 2003 and used them.
They overcharged us a little over $100.00
By mid 2006 my wife had finally extracted a refund cheque from them, but she was ill and forgot to bank it.
When she died in October 2008, I found it in her papers and wrote to them asking for its reissue.
After 2 letters, 10 phone calls and about 10 emails I finally got it in mid-June 2009.
It was hardly worth what it cost in time but I wasn't going to let them just opt out.

[godoubleblues]

I use powerdirect and we are very happy with them, we get monthly bills average at about $100 per month (have gas for hot water and cooking and have a wood fire)
my last powerbill was only $3.80 but that is because they have done estimates the last 3-4 months and my kids have moved out of home and I have been away a lot so havent been using as much power

cant comment on gas as we get bottles because we are in the hills

[dedja]

I wouldn't recommend AGL - we were in Adelaide for 6 months in 2003 and used them.

Agreed, AGL are the dodgy bros of the Electricity (& gas) industry.

set <rant => ON

I've worked in this industry and AGL push the boundaries to the limit to make a profit and unfortunately the regulator lets them get away with it.

Did you know that as well as being a retailer in SA, they are also a generator (own Torrens Island power stations and peaking plants) so effectively they can't lose money as they've cornered the market ... this is against the spirit of the National Electricity Market but allowable by the farcical rules of the AER. You would be shocked by how much they can make by manipulating the system.

I also have a friend who used to work for them and they treated her so badly.

[GWW]

I'm with TruEnergy who appear to be not too bad.

My parents use a company called Simply Energy, who apparently don't do much mainstream advertising but sell their product/service door to door. I've been meaning to check this out a little further but never gotten around to it, but have just checked their website:

http://www.simplyenergy.com.au/

My parents told me they had enjoyed quite good savings (compared to their previous supplier), although they were told subsequently that they were to be billed an extra charge due to a mistake being made, which to me sounds pretty dodgy. But all up they are probably relatively inexpensive compared to some of the other companies.

[dedja]

don't say I didn't warn you about AGL ... http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

[gadj1976]

I wouldn't recommend AGL - we were in Adelaide for 6 months in 2003 and used them.

Agreed, AGL are the dodgy bros of the Electricity (& gas) industry.

set <rant => ON

I've worked in this industry and AGL push the boundaries to the limit to make a profit and unfortunately the regulator lets them get away with it.

Did you know that as well as being a retailer in SA, they are also a generator (own Torrens Island power stations and peaking plants) so effectively they can't lose money as they've cornered the market ... this is against the spirit of the National Electricity Market but allowable by the farcical rules of the AER. You would be shocked by how much they can make by manipulating the system.

I also have a friend who used to work for them and they treated her so badly.

Dedja, I've worked for AGL and Origin. Origin have a retail arm, and Origin Energy Asset Management which own the pipes. pretty much the same thing from what you're saying about AGL. There aren't many regulations around who can own and retail the product (at the same time) I wouldn't think.

[GWW]

There aren't many regulations around who can own and retail the product (at the same time) I wouldn't think.

Is that similar to Telstra?

[dedja]

Telstra are worse ... there's no real regulator so its up to the ACCC to keep them in check.

[Dog_ger]

I am with origin.

I pay $100 extra each bill.

Gas and Electricity

I have no problems with them.

The $100 is credited to my next bill.

My bills are very low by doing this.

[Sojourner]

I am with TRU on what was supposedly a fixed contract for three years, about 18 months in I recieve a letter stating that its going up after being regulated to go up, so I do suggest that the point of a fixed contract is pretty much useless anyway and I would be reluctant to sign another one.

Aurora Energy do the Pay as you Go power which is an interesting concept!

[dedja]

Aurora Energy do the Pay as you Go power which is an interesting concept!

Especially when the rates are higher and somehow this is going to save money

[Gozu]

Gotta love privatisation!

[dedja]

bump ...

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6527026136

HOUSEHOLDERS have been paying up to $300 more each year on electricity because generation companies have been manipulating the market, experts say.

Consumer groups have been critical of the electricity market system which allows generators to withhold supply from their plants to force up the price of wholesale electricity on hot days

...

The price manipulation practice is called "gaming" of the market.

Although it is not illegal, welfare groups have called for its abolition.

...

In a one-sentence response to the issues raised, a spokeswoman for AGL, one of SA's largest generators, would say only that it had not done anything illegal, a charge which had not been made.

"AGL has conducted its wholesale electricity business in accordance with the law and rejects any assertion to the contrary," she said.
...

The Australian Energy Market Commission has also been criticised because in June it also found generators shut down plants on hot days to force up wholesale power prices, but took no action to stop the practice, except further "monitoring"

I wouldn't recommend AGL - we were in Adelaide for 6 months in 2003 and used them.

Agreed, AGL are the dodgy bros of the Electricity (& gas) industry.

set <rant => ON

I've worked in this industry and AGL push the boundaries to the limit to make a profit and unfortunately the regulator lets them get away with it.

Did you know that as well as being a retailer in SA, they are also a generator (own Torrens Island power stations and peaking plants) so effectively they can't lose money as they've cornered the market ... this is against the spirit of the National Electricity Market but allowable by the farcical rules of the AER. You would be shocked by how much they can make by manipulating the system.

I also have a friend who used to work for them and they treated her so badly.

[gadj1976]

I wouldn't recommend AGL - we were in Adelaide for 6 months in 2003 and used them.

Agreed, AGL are the dodgy bros of the Electricity (& gas) industry.

set <rant => ON

I've worked in this industry and AGL push the boundaries to the limit to make a profit and unfortunately the regulator lets them get away with it.

Did you know that as well as being a retailer in SA, they are also a generator (own Torrens Island power stations and peaking plants) so effectively they can't lose money as they've cornered the market ... this is against the spirit of the National Electricity Market but allowable by the farcical rules of the AER. You would be shocked by how much they can make by manipulating the system.

I also have a friend who used to work for them and they treated her so badly.

Similar to Origin. They are a provider and retailer as well.

Both shonks.

I hate AGL with a passion now.

I went to goswitch.com and sussed out who was the best from there.

[grant j]

I deal with Electricity Retailers constantly at work


DON'T USE SIMPLY ENERGY

The absolute worst company do deal with. You will be on the phone for ages because they can never find the customers files.

They make you sign a 2 year contract

The lady I work with never swears unless she has to deal with these knobs.

[GWW]

I'm changing address in the next month or so, so am looking into which Electricity provider to go with.

I have already got a quote form Simply Energy, although now I have read the above post, I probably aren't so keen on them

Anyone got any more suggestions which company to use?

[MatteeG]

Give Alinta a go. So far so good for us.

http://alintaenergy.com.au/home

[The Ash Man]

I'm changing address in the next month or so, so am looking into which Electricity provider to go with.

I have already got a quote form Simply Energy, although now I have read the above post, I probably aren't so keen on them

Anyone got any more suggestions which company to use?

I'm with Lumo, never had a drama and get 15% off when I pay my bill on time