Australian watchdog accepts undertaking from EnergyAustralia over electricity rule breach

CLP Holdings

03/08/2026 02:45

Aug 3 (Reuters) - An Australian regulator said on Monday it had accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from EnergyAustralia after the retailer admitted breaching electricity retail rules by failing to offer eligible customers a plan with three hours of free daytime electricity by the July 1 deadline.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said EnergyAustralia, which is owned by Hong Kong-listed CLP Holdings 0002.HK, failed to make its Solar Sharer Offer available on time as required under the Electricity Retail Code. 
The Solar Sharer Offer is designed to help eligible households lower their electricity bills by shifting power usage to a three-hour period of free electricity during the day, the ACCC said, adding that EnergyAustralia launched the offer on August 3.
"EnergyAustralia's delay in offering the plan initially denied current and prospective consumers the opportunity to access this plan and take advantage of the benefits available," ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.
"As one of the country's largest energy retailers, we expect EnergyAustralia to have better systems and processes in place to meet its legal obligations."
EnergyAustralia did not immediately respond to Reuters request for a comment. 
Under the undertaking, EnergyAustralia agreed to continue offering the Solar Sharer plan, report its compliance to the ACCC and the Australian Energy Regulator, train staff to assist customers seeking information about the offer, and publish details of the undertaking on its website.
The ACCC had sued the electricity retailer in 2023 for allegedly providing misleading electricity price information.



 (Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
 ((Rajasik.Mukherjee@thomsonreuters.com;))