We understand how important energy affordability is, and it can be a source of enormous stress. We want to help solve this.
Making energy more affordable for our customers, particularly those struggling to pay their bills, is a top priority for AGL.
"Our role in Australian homes as an essential service provider means we have a responsibility to take a multi-pronged approach – addressing not just the ‘now’ in terms of prices and hardship assistance, but also by taking a longer-term view by increasing supply."
Cutting prices and introducing safety net discount
In the last year we have reduced our prices and introduced a safety net discount for our Standing offer customers. In July 2018, AGL cut electricity prices across NSW, QLD and SA, and from 1 January we rolled out gas and electricity price reductions in Victoria.
Assistance for customers experiencing hardship
Last year we introduced new measures to identify and support hardship customers. In our FY18 financial results, we also announced $50 million of debt relief for hardship customers, a $6 million Energy Literacy fund to support and empower vulnerable customers and a $2 million program to provide dedicated assistance for small businesses.
In addition to our existing hardship policy across NSW, QLD and SA, we introduced a new hardship policy for our Victorian customers, Payment Support, in response to the Essential Services Commission’s (ESC) new Payment Difficulty Framework, which commenced 1 January 2019.
AGL offers hardship customers a higher level of assistance than under the various minimum regulatory frameworks, including our Here to Help tool and a range of Easy Ways to Pay options.
The program offers a range of assistance measures including access to financial counsellors, guaranteed discounts, payment plans, depending on circumstance placing bill payments missed on hold, energy reviews, audits and tips, and protection from disconnection.
Increasing energy supply
The best way to put downward pressure on energy prices is to make sure we have plenty of it, that’s why we are investing in new generation for the longer term. AGL has committed more than $2 billion to new electricity generation projects now under development.
