Melbourne-based electricity provider Elysian Energy collapses

Frustrated customers of failed Melbourne electricity company Elysian showered them with complaints in the weeks before it failed.

Customers of failed electricity retailer Elysian Energy peppered it with complaints in the weeks leading up to its collapse.

Angry customers took to social media and Google reviews to vent about massive bill increases, a lack of customer support and missing refunds.

Melbourne-based Elysian warned customers in June it would be more than doubling its prices.

It was one of a number of junior electricity retailers to take the highly unusual move of urging customers to find a new provider as it would soon be forced to pass on huge price hikes.

The price rises appear to have caught many customers out, although the range of complaints spans more than just bill shock.

Sharon posted in a Google review that incorrect bills had been sent and more than six phone calls had not resolved the matter.

“Every time they swore the problem had been corrected and I would not be charged the amount they sent – I was charged the higher amount,” she posted.

Elysian customers complained of huge bill hikes and bad customer service.

Elysian responded, apologising for the experience and saying it was working to improve its billing experience.

Brad complained he had been warned in a letter that prices would rise, but he only found out by how much when he received his bill.

“Our rates have increased SIGNIFICANTLY with no notice of them increasing apart from a letter saying it would be going up, not how much, not when they are going up nothing,” he wrote.

Perlita in June complained her plan had not been switched to a different product despite numerous requests.

“6 phone calls down, 1 email and 1 message, and they STILL haven’t put my plan onto Solar Maximiser as promised 6 phone calls ago,” she posted to the Elysian Facebook page.

Elysian responded to many complaints and repeatedly apologised for its price hikes.

“We’re sorry you’re unhappy with these changes in prices,” it wrote to a customer in July.

“We are very mindful that price increases are never good news; however, we’ve had to make some changes due to some challenges with the wholesale market.”

Smaller energy retailers – those who sell electricity and gas but do not have any generating assets – have been crunched as wholesale electricity prices have soared.

Melbourne-based power company goes into liquidation

A Melbourne-based electricity retailer has collapsed, sending insolvency specialists scrambling to find a new provider for thousands of customers.

Elysian Energy, established in 2019, was declared insolvent on Tuesday.

The energy junior focused on providing electricity for about 7500 houses with solar.

It’s understood a high portion of customers were based in Victoria.

Insolvency specialists Adrian Hunter and Robyn Erskine from Brooke Bird have taken over the running of the company.

They are now in talks with the Australian Energy Regulator and Essential Services Commission to urgently find a new provider under the regulator’s Retailer of Last Resort scheme.

Under the scheme, the AER and the ESC have the power to make an emergency appointment to keep the power flowing to homes when an electricity provider collapses.

Insolvency specialists have been left to find a new provider for thousands of Elysian Energy customers.

A letter to Elysian customers from Brooke Bird said the administrators were “holding urgent and immediate discussions with the various Australian energy regulators to ensure ongoing power”.

“The Australian Energy Regulator and Essential Services Commission Victoria have the power to appoint a new retailer to you under the Retailer of Last Resort (ROLR) scheme,” it said.

Mr Hunter told the Herald Sun an automatic transfer of all customer accounts to an alternative electricity provider would occur.

This is likely to see one of the major providers – AGL, Origin Energy or Energy Australia – be appointed.

“This process may take a few weeks to be completed, at which time a new electricity provider will then make themselves known to the customers,” he said.

“Elysian Energy customers do not have to worry about their electricity being cut off during this transition.

“We are working hand-in-hand with ESC, AEMO and AER to ensure this is a smooth process for all the customers.”

Mr Hunter said arrangements were in place if there was an unprecedented cut-off.

“In this extreme event, the Essential Services Commissions and Australian Energy Regulator have arrangements in place to ensure all the energy supply continues and is not disrupted,” he said.

Elysian Energy was one of a handful of small electricity retailers that urged their customers to move to another retailer as soon as possible earlier this year.

Small electricity providers have been crunched by a spike in wholesale price rises.