This report aims to provide consumers with information about the energy market that would promote effective competition, to achieve the best outcomes for Victorian energy consumers.
Victorian Energy Market Report
Overview
This is our sixth annual Victorian Energy Market Report. The report aims to build consumer understanding of how the market operates.
Our latest annual report covering 2020–21 includes three in-depth articles on the performance of the market and our role as the Victorian energy regulator:
- A 'striking consumer preference' for large energy retailers – economic analysis and research we have undertaken to better understand customer preferences regarding their retailer, and how the market is functioning.
- Actively enforcing the rules to build trust in the market – a summary of the compliance and enforcement actions we have undertaken on the energy industry in recent years.
- Easing the burden of unpaid bills – early insights into the outcomes of Victoria's payment difficulty framework, which supports energy consumers with payment assistance and provides some of the strongest protections in the country.
The report also includes a visual summary of the performance of energy retailers and distributors. Individual retailer profiles and appendices can be found under the resources tab.
Victorian Energy Market Report 2020–21
You can also read our media release about this report.
Key findings
Many Victorian consumers appear to prefer larger energy retailers
Based on economic analysis and research into customer preferences, we find that Victorian energy consumers may be missing out on the lowest prices in the market, due to their loyalty to the well-known, bigger retailers.
Increasing enforcement action to improve trust in the market
Since 2018, energy businesses have paid more than $13 million in penalty notices for alleged contraventions of Victoria’s energy laws.
More customers are receiving payment assistance, but there are varied trends in the arrears of customers who receive assistance
Since Victoria's payment difficulty framework commenced in 2019, we have seen more customers receiving payment assistance and a noticeable drop in disconnection levels. However, the average customer begins receiving assistance with high levels of arrears, and more than half of customers being disconnected had not received assistance beforehand.
Resources
Victorian energy market report and updates in 2020-21
Victorian energy market report and updates in 2019-20
30 November 2020
Note: The table names in this excel reference the figure numbers used throughout the report and the rest are supplementary tables. This uses the most up to date information from retailers and may differ from previous reports
(xlsx, 285.98 KB)
Victorian energy market report and updates in 2018-19
Victorian energy market report and updates in 2017-18
26 February 2019
This report provides a full summary of the Victorian energy market in 2017-18.
(PDF, 7.16 MB)
29 November 2018
This snapshot report provides a short summary of the Victorian energy market in 2017-18. This report has since been superseded by the Victorian Energy Market Report 2017-18.
(pdf, 737.14 KB)
21 December 2017
This update provides information on standard contract prices of Victorian gas retailers for 2017 – 18. This includes updated prices published by retailers on 8 and 15 December 2017.
(pdf, 287.46 KB)
Victorian Energy Market Report 2016-17
Licensed energy businesses audit fact sheets 2016-17
Victorian Energy Market Report 2015-16
Victorian Energy Market Report Updates: 2016-2017
Energy retail performance reports
These reports pre-date the Victorian Energy Market Report.