Alinta Energy penalty notices 2022 (payment assistance under the payment difficulty framework)

Alinta Energy has paid penalties totalling over $380,000 after we issued penalty notices on 2 December 2022. We issued the penalties to Alinta Energy for allegedly breaching rules that protect Victorians who are experiencing payment difficulty.

The payment difficulty framework requires retailers to provide assistance to customers facing bill stress. Alinta Energy allegedly breached the rules after failing to provide the level of assistance that 13 customers were entitled to receive. For four of these 13 customers, Alinta Energy allegedly imposed a condition on the provision of assistance that required the customers to provide personal or financial information.

Victorian energy consumers who are experiencing payment difficulty have the right to assistance such as:

• a payment plan
• advice about grants and concessions that may be available
• advice about the likely cost of their future energy use and how this cost may be lowered.

Retailers are not permitted to impose conditions on this assistance.