Telstra energy heading to Victoria with strict rules and customer limits

Utility tower pink sky

Telstra has been granted licences to sell electricity and gas in Victoria, although the state’s Essential Services Commision (ESC) has imposed strict rules and customer limits on the company due to its past history of non-compliance in the telecommunications sector. 

The granting of both licenses means that Telstra will be allowed to operate within the state’s energy market, but will have strict rules imposed against it including customer limits for the first six months of operation. 

A further condition will see Telstra required to establish a specialist team to handle all customer inquiries and complaints, and the ESC stated that senior executives will be held directly for any disconnections due to non-payment and for reporting any rule breaches to the commission.

The ESC says the strict rules were imposed due to concerns raised from a number of stakeholders over the telco’s past digressions. An independent review of Telstra Energy’s compliance will be held after two and a half years, with the findings then reported back to the committee.  

The licences to operate in Victoria’s energy market have been granted a month after Telstra was cleared to sell electricity and gas across all other Australian states and territories excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory. 

“Our goal is to become a top 5 energy retailer by 2025, thereby contributing to Telstra’s overall T25 growth strategy,” Telstra Energy executive Ben Burge said after the initial licences were granted last month.

Telstra says its plans will all be 100% carbon neutral at no extra cost as the company moves towards a sustainable future. 

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