Energex

Energex is an Australian electricity distribution brand and network operator serving South East Queensland. Its distribution area extends from Coolangatta near the New South Wales border to Gympie in the north and westward toward the foothills of the Toowoomba Range. The business supplies electricity infrastructure and network services to approximately 1.5 million homes and businesses across metropolitan, coastal, regional and rural communities. The organisation has roots in the early electricity supply industry of Brisbane. Permanent electricity supply began in the city in the late nineteenth century through Barton, White & Company. That business became the Brisbane Electric Supply Company in 1904 and was renamed the City Electric Light Company in 1922. In 1961, the Queensland Government nationalised the City Electric Light Company and combined it with the Brisbane City Council Electricity Supply Department and the Toowoomba Electric Light & Power Company. The resulting public utility was initially known as the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland and later, from 1977 to 1997, as the South East Queensland Electricity Board. Following the establishment of the National Electricity Market, the South East Queensland Electricity Board was corporatised in 1997 and renamed Energex. In its early corporate form, Energex operated as a multi-utility provider, with activities spanning electricity distribution as well as LPG and natural-gas services. The company later narrowed its focus. In 2006, it sold its Allgas gas-distribution network in South East Queensland to Australian Pipeline Trust. Its electricity distribution network remained publicly owned. Energex also had a retail business, Sun Retail. The retail operation was sold during the transition to full retail contestability in Queensland. Origin Energy acquired a substantial customer portfolio, while AGL Energy acquired customers in the northern part of the former Energex retail area. From 1 July 2007, Queensland electricity customers were able to choose their electricity retailer, separating retail competition from the operation of the regulated distribution network. In 2016, Energex became part of Energy Queensland. The Queensland Government decided to combine Energex and Ergon Energy rather than sell the state-owned distribution businesses. Energy Queensland began operating on 30 June 2016, with its corporate headquarters in Townsville, while Energex and Ergon Energy continued as distinct operating brands. Energex therefore remains the customer-facing and operational identity for electricity distribution in South East Queensland, while Energy Queensland is the parent organisation. The Energex network contains more than 55,000 kilometres of overhead and underground electricity infrastructure. It operates in a subtropical environment exposed to severe storms and other weather-related disruptions. Its public-service role includes maintaining distribution assets, managing outages, responding to fallen powerlines and other electrical emergencies, and providing information during major weather events. Energex is not an electricity retailer in the conventional competitive-market sense; its principal contemporary role is the distribution and network-service function between the transmission system and end users.

Energex developed from the consolidation and corporatisation of electricity utilities in Queensland. Brisbane's first permanent electricity supplies were established in the late nineteenth century by Barton, White & Company. The enterprise became the Brisbane Electric Supply Company in 1904 and then the City Electric Light Company in 1922. For decades, the City Electric Light Company competed with the Brisbane City Council's electricity operations and other suppliers in South East Queensland. A major structural change occurred in 1961, when the Queensland Government nationalised the City Electric Light Company and merged it with the Brisbane City Council Electricity Supply Department and the Toowoomba Electric Light & Power Company. The consolidated public utility was initially called the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland. In 1977, it adopted the name South East Queensland Electricity Board, commonly abbreviated as SEQEB. The organisation became the dominant electricity supplier across the region. The creation of the National Electricity Market prompted a further change. In 1997, SEQEB was corporatised and renamed Energex. The new organisation initially pursued a broader multi-utility model, supplying electricity while also operating LPG and natural-gas activities. Its gas interests were subsequently reduced when the Allgas gas-distribution network in South East Queensland was sold to Australian Pipeline Trust in 2006. The reported transaction value was A$521 million. Electricity distribution remained in public ownership. Energex also participated in the restructuring of Queensland's electricity retail market. Its retail arm, Sun Retail, was sold through an auction process, with Origin Energy acquiring a large customer portfolio and AGL Energy acquiring customers in the northern portion of the former retail territory. The transaction was completed in early 2007. Full retail contestability took effect in Queensland on 1 July 2007, allowing customers to select competing electricity retailers. Energex's principal role consequently became the operation of the regulated distribution network rather than the sale of electricity to customers. In 2014, whistleblower claims concerning the handling or manipulation of company data resulted in a federal parliamentary inquiry into whether information had been altered to artificially increase power prices. The reference material identifies the inquiry but does not establish a final finding or penalty, so the episode should not be treated as proof that the allegations were substantiated. After the Queensland Labor Government won the 2015 state election, it announced that Energex and Ergon Energy would not be sold. Instead, the two state-owned distribution companies would be brought together under a new parent organisation, Energy Queensland. The merger was completed on 30 June 2016. Energy Queensland established its corporate headquarters in Townsville, while Energex and Ergon Energy continued to operate under separate regional brands. Today, Energex represents the South East Queensland distribution business within the Energy Queensland group. Its network covers urban and rural areas between Coolangatta and Gympie and extends west toward the Toowoomba Range. The network comprises more than 55,000 kilometres of overhead and underground infrastructure. Because the service territory has a subtropical climate and experiences storms and other severe weather, outage management, emergency response and public communication are central aspects of the brand's operating role.

• 2016

  Energy Queensland begins operations

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  Energex and Ergon Energy are combined under the Queensland Government-owned parent Energy Queensland, while their separate brands continue.

• 2014

  Parliamentary inquiry follows whistleblower allegations

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  Whistleblower allegations concerning Energex data lead to a federal inquiry into possible effects on electricity-price calculations.

• 2007

  Sun Retail sale completed

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  Energex's retail arm, Sun Retail, is sold, with customer portfolios transferred primarily to Origin Energy and AGL Energy as Queensland retail competition expands.

• 2006

  Allgas gas-distribution network sold

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  Energex sells its South East Queensland gas-distribution network, Allgas, to Australian Pipeline Trust for a reported A$521 million.

• 1997

  SEQEB corporatised and renamed Energex

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  In response to the development of the National Electricity Market, the South East Queensland Electricity Board is corporatised and adopts the Energex name.

• 1977

  South East Queensland Electricity Board name adopted

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  The consolidated public electricity organisation becomes known as the South East Queensland Electricity Board.

• 1961

  Queensland electricity utilities nationalised and consolidated

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  The Queensland Government nationalises the City Electric Light Company and combines it with Brisbane City Council and Toowoomba electricity operations.

• 1922

  Renamed City Electric Light Company

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  The Brisbane electricity supplier is renamed the City Electric Light Company.

• 1904

  Brisbane Electric Supply Company established

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor business adopts the name Brisbane Electric Supply Company.

• 1887

  Permanent electricity supply begins in Brisbane

  [1]Energexen.wikipedia.org

  Barton, White & Company begins providing permanent electricity supplies in Brisbane, establishing an early predecessor to the modern Energex organisation.

A publicly owned regional electricity distribution utility focused on the safe, reliable operation of South East Queensland's electricity network rather than competitive electricity retailing.

• Electricity distribution · 1997

  South East Queensland electricity distribution network

  Energex operates and maintains the electricity distribution infrastructure serving South East Queensland. The network includes more than 55,000 kilometres of overhead and underground assets across dense metropolitan areas, coastal communities, regional towns and rural districts. Its service territory runs from Coolangatta to Gympie and west toward the Toowoomba Range. The business connects customers to the wider electricity system and manages local network reliability, maintenance, outages and emergency restoration.

• Utility customer services

  Emergency and outage services

  Energex provides round-the-clock channels for reporting life-threatening electrical emergencies, fallen powerlines and loss-of-supply incidents. These services support the operational function of the network and become particularly important during storms, major weather events and other disruptions. The company also communicates service information through public contact channels and social media during incidents and community events.

• Gas distribution

  Allgas

  Allgas was Energex's South East Queensland gas-distribution network. It formed part of the company's earlier multi-utility activities but was sold to Australian Pipeline Trust in 2006. It is therefore a former Energex offering rather than a current product line.

• Electricity retail

  Sun Retail

  Sun Retail was Energex's electricity-retailing arm. Its customer base was sold during the opening of Queensland's electricity market to retail competition. Origin Energy acquired approximately 800,000 customers in the southern part of the former territory, while AGL Energy acquired approximately 400,000 customers in the northern area. Sun Retail is no longer an Energex operating business.

• 2014

  Whistleblower allegations over data and electricity prices

  A whistleblower raised allegations that Energex data may have been manipulated to artificially inflate power prices. The claims prompted a federal parliamentary inquiry. The available reference material does not provide a conclusive finding, enforcement outcome or penalty.

  Source

Read more

• 2016

  Merger with Ergon Energy under Energy QueenslandM&A

  Background

  After the 2015 Queensland election, the state government chose to retain its electricity distribution assets rather than sell them and announced a combination of Energex and Ergon Energy.

  Action taken

  Energex and Ergon Energy were placed under the new parent entity Energy Queensland, which commenced operations on 30 June 2016.

  Aftermath

  The Energex and Ergon Energy brands continued separately, while Energy Queensland became the group-level organisation and established its head office in Townsville.

  Source

• 2007

  Sale of Sun RetailM&A

  Background

  Queensland was moving to full retail contestability, allowing electricity customers to choose their retailer and separating retail activities from network distribution.

  Action taken

  Energex sold its Sun Retail business at auction. Origin Energy acquired a customer base of approximately 800,000, while AGL Energy acquired approximately 400,000 customers in the northern part of the former territory.

  Aftermath

  The sale reduced Energex's role in competitive electricity retailing. Full retail contestability began in Queensland on 1 July 2007, with additional retailers entering the market.

  Reported sale value. A$1.2 billion (Sale formally completed in early 2007)

  • Origin Energy — Origin Energy purchased the larger southern customer portfolio.
  • AGL Energy — AGL Energy purchased the remaining northern customer portfolio.

  Source

• 2006

  Divestment of the Allgas gas networkM&A

  Background

  Energex was operating as a multi-utility business with electricity, LPG and natural-gas activities. The company decided to exit its gas-distribution network in South East Queensland.

  Action taken

  Energex sold Allgas to Australian Pipeline Trust for a reported A$521 million.

  Aftermath

  Energex retained its electricity distribution network while its gas-distribution operations moved to the acquiring infrastructure group.

  Reported transaction value. A$521 million (2006)

  Source

1. 1Energexen.wikipedia.org