Standard Customer Contracts

Under the Electricity Act 1994 (the Act), distribution entities are responsible for the connection and supply (i.e. physical delivery through poles and wires) of electricity to customers' premises   these services are called "customer connection services.  Retail entities are responsible for selling the electricity to a customer - these services are called "customer retail services".

If a customer is connected to a distribution entity's supply network, and the customer and the distribution entity have not entered into a negotiated contract for customer connection services, the Act provides that the customer and the distribution entity are taken to have entered into a standard connection contract (SCC).  In practice, only a few very large business customers have negotiated connection contracts with their distribution entity.

The Act also provides that small non-market customers who are receiving a supply of electricity are taken to have entered into a standard retail contract (SRC) with their existing retailer  (known as the finacially responsible retail entity)  Non-market customers are on the State-wide uniform electricity tariffs.  The standard connection contract and standard retail contract are contained in Annexure A and Annexure B, respectively, of the Electricity Industry Code.

Large customers who do not have a current negotiated retail contract are also deemed to be on a standard large customer retail contract with their financially responsible retailer.  Retailers are required to have a standard large customer retail contract for their large non-market customers.

These standard contracts are "deemed" contracts, which means they are not physically signed by the parties, but are taken to be in place to establish the terms and conditions which apply to the provision of customer connection services by the distribution entities (ENERGEX Limited and Ergon Energy Corporation Limited) and customer retail services by retail entities.

Retail entities and the distribution entities (ENERGEX Limited and Ergon Energy Corporation Limited) are required to make copies of the standard customer contracts available to their customers upon request.

Distribution Entities - Contacts

ENERGEX Call Centre  13 12 53
Ergon Energy Call Centre  13 10 46

Retail Entities - Contacts

List of Licensed Electricity Retailers (PDF - 110KB)