Suspension of Jackgreen International Pty Ltd
Frequently Asked Questions
1.1 What has happened to Jackgreen?
Jackgreen has had its market registration to operate in the National Electricity Market suspended by the Australian Energy market Operator (AEMO). This occurred at midnight on Friday 18 December 2009 and means that Jackgreen can no longer supply electricity to its customers.
1.2 Which Jackgreen customers in Queensland are affected?
All Jackgreen customers within Queensland have been impacted and have already been transferred to their Retailer of Last Resort at midnight on Friday 18 December 2009 by AEMO. The electricity supply for all these customers will not be interrupted and will continue as normal.
1.3 What does Retailer of Last Resort (ROLR) mean?
The ROLR refers to the default retailer in your area who has been appointed by the Queensland Government to provide you with electricity in this kind of event. The ROLR arrangements are intended to ensure that customers continue to receive their electricity supply uninterrupted in circumstances where their existing retailer is unable to continue to provide that supply. This may be because the retailer has had its market registration suspended, which legally prohibits them from continuing to supply, or because it is unable to access electricity in the wholesale market to supply its customers.
1.4 What happens now?
If you were a Jackgreen customer and located in South East Queensland, Origin Energy became your ROLR. If you were a Jackgreen customer in Country Energy’s small retail area in the south of the Queensland and the New South Wales border, Country Energy became your ROLR.
At midnight on Friday 18 December 2009, you were automatically transferred to your relevant ROLR by AEMO. You are not required to do anything. Your ROLR will write to you within the next couple of weeks explaining a number of things, including:
- The date that the new arrangements took place
- The terms and conditions of your electricity supply
- Your options to stay with your ROLR or choose another new retailer.
1.5 How much will I be paying for my electricity with my ROLR and what kind of contract will I be on?
If your annual consumption is less than 100MWh, you are classified as a small customer and the terms and conditions of a standard retail contract will apply to you. The terms and conditions of a standard retail contract are regulated under the Electricity Industry Code.
Under the standard retail contract, the price you will pay for your electricity supplied by the ROLR will be the notified (regulated) price for electricity as set by the Queensland Competition Authority annually for all Queensland customers on standard retail contract.
If your annual consumption is more than 100 MWh, then you are classified as a large customer and the terms and conditions of the relevant ROLRs standard large customer retail contract will apply to you. The price you will pay will be based on the prevailing National Electricity Market spot price as well as other reasonable market fees and charges incurred by the ROLR in buying electricity for you. In addition, you will also pay the relevant 'pass through' of network charges.
1.6 What options are available to me?
If you are a small customer (using less than 100 MWh per year), you have three options as to how you would like to be supplied with electricity in future:
- you can stay with your ROLR on a standard retail contract with notified prices;
- you can arrange supply under a negotiated market supply contract from your ROLR; or
- you can shop around and arrange supply under a negotiated market supply contract with a different licensed retailer in Queensland.
A list of the electricity retailers currently offering retail services in Queensland can be found here. If you are a small residential customer, you can also use the Authority's price comparator to compare indicative prices offered by these retailers.
If you are a large customer (using more than 100 MWh per year), your options include:
- you can stay with your ROLR on a standard large customer retail contract with exposure to National Electricity Market spot prices and other fees and charges as determined by the ROLR;
- you can arrange supply under a negotiated market supply contract from your ROLR; or
- you can shop around and arrange supply under a negotiated market supply contract with a different licensed retailer in Queensland.
A list of the electricity retailers currently offering retail services to large customers in Queensland can be found here.
1.7 I have been paying for green energy with Jackgreen, will this continue automatically with my ROLR?
Green energy arrangements will not be automatically transferred with your ROLR. If you are a small customer and would like to purchase some or all of your electricity supply from green energy, you will need to enter into a negotiated market contract either with your ROLR or a new retailer (see option b and c in 1.6 above). The standard retail contract and notified prices do not include green energy premiums.
1.8 What if I have a current dispute or a complaint with Jackgreen?
You will need to continue to try and resolve that complaint with Jackgreen. Your ROLR or a new retailer will not be able to assist you with any complaints about Jackgreen. If you are not able to resolve your complaint, you can contact the Energy Ombudsman Queensland (EOQ) on Freecall 1800 662 837, email complaints@eoq.com.au or visit their website at www.eoq.com.au.
1.9 What if I have prepaid all or a portion my electricity account with Jackgreen?
If you have prepaid your electricity account, you have the option of seeking a refund from Jackgreen directly.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has produced a fact sheet entitled 'Getting Your Money Back' which is available from its website at www.asic.gov.au.
1.10 What if I am paying my account automatically by direct debit?
Once your final bill has been paid with Jackgreen, they should stop debiting money from your account. Your final account from Jackgreen should only be for electricity supply up to midnight Friday 18 December 2009.
Once your account with Jackgreen is finalised, you should contact your bank or financial institution to cancel your debiting arrangements with Jackgreen.
You should talk to your ROLR or your new retailer about making payments to them via direct debit arrangements.
1.11 What if I am paying my account directly through Centrelink Centrepay?
You should contact Centrelink as soon as possible to stop payments being made to Jackgreen. It is up to you if you would like to make arrangements through Centrepay to pay your ROLR or a new retailer.
1.12 What if I am currently on a payment plan?
You can either contact your ROLR and advise them of your payment plan status, or advise them when they can contact you. Or, if you are shopping around for a negotiated market contract with a new retailer, you can ask them whether they will offer you a payment plan.
1.13 What if I was in the middle of transferring my contract?
If you were a Jackgreen customer and you had chosen a new electricity retailer but you have not yet been transferred to the retailer of your choice, your ROLR and AEMO will take all reasonable steps to ensure that you are transferred to your retailer of your choice on the date you had originally agreed to. You do not have to do anything as AEMO will transfer you to your new retailer in due course, however, you may wish to contact your new retailer to ensure that your transfer to them occurs as agreed.
If you were about to transfer to Jackgreen, the transfer will not be completed. AEMO has cancelled these transfers. You will remain with your original retailer.
1.14 Will my Government rebate and concessions continue to apply?
Yes. All eligible customers in receipt of Queensland Government rebates concessions on electricity consumption at the time of the ROLR event will continue to receive these them irrespective of the option taken with regard to their electricity supply (see question 1.6).
You will need to provide your ROLR or your new retailer with your concession card details.
1.15 Will my Electricity Life Support Concession continue?
Yes, your Life Support Rebate will continue and your ROLR will be made aware of your need for life support equipment, so you don’t need to worry about being disconnected.
Your information should be available to your ROLR. You can either wait until you are contacted by them, or you can call them directly and let them know you have life support equipment in your home. You can call Origin Energy on 13 24 61 or Country Energy on 13 23 56
1.16 I am a shareholder of Jackgreen, will I lose any money?
We are unable to provide advice on private financial matters. You may wish to contact your financial advisor or broker for advice on your shareholdings. General information on shareholders rights can be obtained from the Australian Securities Exchange website at www.asx.com.au or the Australian Securities and Investment Commission website at www.asic.gov.au.
