Australian electricity provider Diamond Energy has paid $46,950 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with three infringement notices for allegedly breaching the Electricity Retail Code.
Under the Code, electricity retailers must provide certain information about pricing, such as the lowest possible price, to help consumers compare different electricity plans.
The three infringement notices relate to allegations that Diamond Energy failed to communicate mandatory information to three of its customers.
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The ACCC has also accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Diamond Energy in which it has admitted it contravened the Code.
Diamond Energy admitted that in June 2024 it sent communications to 12,809 customers, which failed to include the required pricing information under the Code, when notifying these customers of price changes to their electricity plans.
Diamond Energy also admitted that it failed to include on its website some of the required pricing information under the Code between 1 January and 30 June 2024 in relation to 44 of its electricity plans, and then also between 1 July and 20 September 2024 in relation to a further 44 plans.
“By not disclosing the required pricing information to its customers, Diamond Energy has impacted consumers’ ability to make an informed decision when comparing prices across electricity retailers,” ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said.
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“It is vital that electricity retailers provide consumers with accurate information so they can compare and access the most competitive prices in the market.”
In the court-enforceable undertaking, Diamond Energy has committed to introduce a compliance program to ensure it complies with the Code.
“We will continue to monitor electricity providers to ensure they adequately disclose pricing information to consumers,” Brakey said.
