Industry Energy CEO Terry Effeney (Jan 2007–) Number of employees 3,100 Founded 1922 Parent organization Ergon Energy | Area served South East Queensland Headquarters Newstead Revenue 2 billion AUD (2012) Net income 282.4 million AUD (2012) | |
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Type Government owned corporation Predecessor South East Queensland Electricity Board (SEQEB) Key people Terry Effeney (CEO)
Kerryn Newton (Chair) Products Electricity distribution Profiles | ||
Energex is an Australian electric power distribution company owned by the Government of Queensland. It is based in Brisbane and was founded in 1922 as the City Electric Light Co. (CEL). From 1977 to 1997, prior to the formation of the National Electricity Market (NEM), the company was known as the South East Queensland Electricity Board (SEQEB), the role of which was to provide electricity to South East Queensland.
Following the formation of the NEM, the SEQEB was corporatised in 1997, becoming Energex. It established itself as a multi-utility provider, supplying LPG and natural gas in addition to electricity, and expanded its operations into the southern states, and now supplies gas to New South Wales and Victoria.
Energex's head corporate office was previously located at 150 Charlotte Street, Brisbane. The company finalised relocation to a new purpose built office building adjacent to Breakfast Creek Road, Newstead, at an old gasworks site. Construction works of the Cox Rayner/BVN Donovan Hill-designed Energex headquarters commenced in June 2008 and were completed in the first half of 2010. The street address of Energex's new corporate headquarters is 26 Reddacliff Street, Newstead.
Retail operations sale
In 2006, the Queensland Government announced plans to privatise the retail arm of the business and its Allgas distribution network in southeast Queensland. The Allgas Distribution Network was sold to Australian Pipeline Trust for $521 million. The electricity distribution network remains in public ownership.
Sun Retail, the retail arm of Energex, was sold at auction to Origin Energy Ltd for A$1.2 billion. The sale was formally effected in early 2007.
Origin Energy purchased a customer base of approximately 800,000 from the New South Wales border to a line just north of the Brisbane River (mostly following Kedron Brook), whilst AGL Energy purchased a customer base of the remaining approximately 400,000 customers north from this line to Gympie and the Sunshine Coast.
Full retail contestability since 1 July 2007 allows electricity customers to choose their electricity retailer. About 19 new retailers (including Origin and AGL) have entered into the Queensland market.
Energex provides a 24-hour emergency phone service, to report life-threatening emergencies and fallen powerlines on 13 19 62. A loss of supply enquiry line also operates 24 hours a day on 13 62 62. General enquiries can be made via their Contact Centre on 13 12 53 between 8am - 5.30pm Monday-Friday.