Ergon Energy
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity distribution |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Queensland Government |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Queensland (excluding South East Queensland) |
| Products | Electricity distribution and retail services |
| Parent | Energy Queensland Limited |
Ergon Energy Network operates as a subsidiary under Energy Queensland Limited, which is owned by the Queensland Government. It supplies electricity to approximately 763,000 customers throughout Queensland, excluding the South East Queensland region. The distribution network is regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), responsible for setting pricing structures for distribution services.
History
Formed in 1999 by the Queensland Government, Ergon resulted from merging six regional electricity distributors along with their retail operations. In 2007, the government divested around 50,000 contestable electricity customers and associated retail businesses to AGL, while retaining control over smaller, less economically viable customers and the distribution infrastructure. On 1 July 2016, Ergon became part of Energy Queensland Limited as a subsidiary.
Operations
The electricity distribution function is managed by Ergon Energy Corporation Limited, with its retail activities conducted through its subsidiary, Ergon Energy Queensland Pty Ltd. By law, Ergon’s retail division offers electricity at government-regulated Notified Prices, which are supervised by the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) to guarantee consistent tariffs across the state.
The network encompasses roughly 178,000 kilometres of powerlines, supported by one million power poles, significant substations, and transformers. Additionally, Ergon owns 33 isolated power stations that provide electricity to off-grid communities within Queensland. Since August 2007, it has operated the gas-powered Barcaldine Power Station, which feeds electricity into the main grid.
Ergon’s inaugural solar farm was commissioned in Windorah in 2009, delivering renewable energy to that town and surrounding rural districts.
Retail competition remains limited in regional Queensland, with most consumers receiving supply under standard contracts managed by Ergon. Although it has faced criticism for slower adoption of smart meters compared to states such as Victoria, Ergon is progressing in deploying consumer tools for real-time energy usage monitoring.
Since 2000, Ergon Energy Retail has been a key partner of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), contributing more than $16 million towards medical care facilities across Queensland through donations from both employees and customers.