Origin Energy has lowered electricity prices in Queensland and South Australia amid expectations of price increases.
Origin Executive General Manager Retail, Jon Briskin said, “Customers have felt the pinch of higher electricity prices and while this is a modest turnaround, we are glad to be delivering better news this year.
“Our prices reflect a more stable National Electricity Market overall. We’ve also absorbed higher green scheme and network costs in NSW and ACT turning what would have been another increase into a freeze on our base tariffs in those states.”
It will be the first time since 2015 that there will be no increase to its mid-year retail electricity prices.
“We believe we can drive electricity prices even lower for Australian households and businesses, if we can agree on a long-term energy policy to encourage timely investment in new supply to replace the nation’s aging power stations.
“We encourage the industry and governments at all levels to stay the course and continue to progress the National Energy Guarantee.”
Energy Consumers Australia CEO, Rosemary Sinclair, said lower energy prices were good news for some but criticised the decision not to provide price relief for consumers in NSW or ther ACT. She said this decision did not meet the expectations of consumers in those markets.
“There’s some good news here for people in Queensland and South Australia, but very unfortunately, no price relief for households and small businesses in New South Wales or the ACT,” Ms Sinclair said.
“With the costs of electricity generation and managing the poles and wires falling, consumers are expecting to see prices coming back down to more normal levels having seen around 30 per cent increases in the past two years.
“The ACCC review of electricity prices is due this month and they’ve already said there is a severe electricity affordability problem which is putting Australian businesses and consumers under unacceptable pressure.”
In 2017, Origin had among the lowest retail standing electricity prices and was the only retailer to announce it would freeze base tariffs for its customers in financial hardship.
