Queensland’s Ergon Energy has been fined $135,600 by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for alleged contraventions of the National Energy Retail Rules relating to life support equipment.
Related article: Court fines Pelican Point for electricity rules breach
The infringement notices were issued as the AER had reasonable grounds to believe that Ergon Energy:
- failed to register a customer who advised that they required the use of life support equipment (as required by rule 124(1)(a) of the National Energy Retail Rules), and
- deregistered a customer’s premises without providing the customer with the required deregistration notices in breach of the requirements of rule 125 of the National Energy Retail Rules.
These alleged failures by Ergon Energy had the potential to harm customers because customers may not have received the life support protections they were entitled to.
AER board member Justin Oliver said all energy retailers had important obligations to support customers whose premises use life support equipment.
“Customers who use life support equipment can be especially vulnerable, so it’s vital that retailers have the systems and procedures in place to support these customers and provide them with the protections required under the National Energy Retail Rules,” Oliver said.
Related article: Ergon completes new $80M line between Isis and Gayndah
The alleged contraventions were identified as part of an investigation undertaken by the AER after Ergon Energy self-reported possible breaches of life support rules to the regulator.
