ActewAGL review

ActewAGL operates throughout the ACT. Here's what you need to know before deciding whether to switch to ActewAGL.

CHOICE staff

Last updated: 24 March 2022

ActewAGL is partly owned by AGL, and operates in ACT and NSW. The company has just under 170,000 electricity customers, and also supplies gas. ActewAGL was established in 2000, and its head office is in Canberra.

On this page:

Which states does ActewAGL supply?
CHOICE Expert rating on ActewAGL
CHOICE Verdict on ActewAGL
ActewAGL's energy sources

ActewAGL supplies electricity – including solar – to almost 2% of Australia's electricity consumer base. The company is owned in partnership by AGL and Icon Water Ltd, making it partly Australian owned. ActewAGL supplies electricity and gas generated by AGL's assets. Neither the organisation nor its product are carbon neutral. It's partly Australian owned.

Contact details for ActewAGL

actewagl.com.au

13 14 93

Which states does ActewAGL supply?

CHOICE Expert rating on ActewAGL

CHOICE Verdict on ActewAGL

Environment (based on AGL, parent company and energy generator)

83% of AGL's generation comes from burning coal.
AGL was penalised by EPA NSW for pollution in 2021.
It offers carbon offsets (other than GreenPower) and is involved in renewable assets.
However, AGL is currently Australia's biggest climate polluter, accounting for about 8% of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
It plans to burn coal until 2045 and is involved in mining, as well as burning it.
Its green electricity results have sharply declined from a start rating of 5 out of ten in 2019-2020, to 1.3 out of 10 in 2020-21.
AGL has comprehensive and accessible energy efficiency products and involvement in demand management/response programs.

Customer service

969 (0.6%) of ActewAGL's customers made complaints against the company in 2020-21, according to the Australian Energy Regulator's data.
Only 62% of customer service calls made to ActewAGL in 2020-21 were answered within 30 seconds.
The average wait time for a call was longer, at 97 seconds.
4.5% of calls made to the company's customer service were abandoned before being answered.

ActewAGL's energy sources

ActewAGL supplies power generated by AGL. Though sources were not transparent during our 2020-21 survey, 83% of AGL's generation comes from coal. Sources listed below are from our 2019-20 survey.

Green Electricity score

This score is based on the company's Green Electricity Guide star rating.

Complaints score

This score is based on the number of complaints measured as a proportion against the number of customers. The higher the percentage, the better. Data via the Australian Energy Regulator – updated annually.

Call response score

This score is based on how likely the retailer is to answer a call within 30 seconds. The higher the percentage, the better. Data via the Australian Energy Regulator – updated annually.

June - ActewAGL customers to face full price rise from July - ActewAGL customers will face an 11.95 per cent increase on electricity charges from July 1, as the ACT's biggest energy supplier adopts the full price hike permitted following an independent review.

February - Australian-first renewable hydrogen project certified - ActewAGL's hydrogen refuelling station, located in Canberra, is now certified – featuring green hydrogen produced from 100 per cent renewable energy and emitting zero emissions, making it the first of its kind in Australia.

September - ACT to phase out gas as it launches next stage to zero carbon strategy - The ACT government has unveiled the next phase of its strategy towards zero net emissions, saying it will look to phase out the use of gas, electrify all new government-owned buildings and support the further adoption of emissions-free transport options.

June - ActewAGL customers to face full price rise from July - The ACT's biggest electricity provider plans to pass on its maximum allowable price rise of 14.29 per cent from July, with residential customers facing a $299 increase to their annual bills, unless they take up a one-year discount offer.

May - Hydrogen to top up 20 new ACT fleet cars - Australia's first public hydrogen refuelling station will open in Canberra late this year to fill the tanks of the 20 new Hyundai Nexo electric cars under order by the ACT government.

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Stock images: Getty unless otherwise stated.

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