Origin Energy review

Origin Energy is one of the largest electricity and gas retailers in Australia. Here's what you need to know before deciding whether to switch to Origin Energy.

by CHOICE

Fact-checked

Last updated: 27 Feb 2023

Origin Energy sells electricity to almost 2.3 million households, or over 24% of Australia’s residential customers, according to 2021-22 figures. While they do invest in some renewable energy generation, they are Australia’s fourth biggest climate polluter due to their large Eraring coal-burning power station in NSW and gas extraction and burning activities.

Established in 2000, Origin Energy is a publicly owned company based in Sydney, with call centres in Australia and oversears. The company owns and operates coal, natural gas, solar and wind power generator plants.

It runs six natural gas fired power stations and one baseload station to provide everyday energy use. It also owns five peaking stations for peak power use, generally during the height of summer and winter months. Origin claims to be Australia’s largest buyer of utility scale solar.

Origin is one of the few energy retailers that is carbon neutral for its product. However, it’s still among the lowest-scoring retailers in our green energy assessment. Its electricity tariffs vary according to your state and the chosen plan, and may include fixed-rate tariffs, discounts, a carbon-neutral option and solar feed-in tariffs.

It was fined by the ACCC in 2020 for an alleged false or misleading representation in a price increase letter sent to residential electricity customers in Victoria.

Contact details for Origin Energy

originenergy.com.au
13 24 61

Which states does Origin Energy supply?

Text-only accessible version

Origin Energy gas and power is available in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Australia Capital Territory. It is available for gas supply (and solar) in WA. It does not operate in Tasmania or Northern Territory.

CHOICE Expert Rating on Origin Energy

Text-only accessible version

CHOICE Expert Rating: 51% Green Electricity score: 16% Complaints score: 99% Call response score: 49%

CHOICE verdict on Origin Energy

Environmental

Origin Energy is among the worst performers in our green electricity assessment, with 1.5 stars out of 10.
It has invested heavily in CSG (colloquially known as fracking) in the past, and lobbied for support in this area. Origin backed out of both NT and QLD fracking operations in 2022.
It also plans to burn coal until 2032.
However Origin Energy does invest in some renewable energy and also heavily invests and supports demand response management.
It has above average export solar pricing and is carbon neutral for its product.
Origin Energy also supports local energy trading.

Customer service

24,717 (1.1%) of Origin Energy’s customers lodged complaints in 2021–22.
53% of calls made to Origin Australia are answered within 30 seconds.
Some callers are left waiting longer – the average wait time is 135 seconds.
8.1% of callers hang up before their call is answered.

Origin Energy’s energy sources

While Origin provides some information on its website we could not find a clear breakdown of its energy sources for 2020-21. The figures below are from our 2019-20 survey.

Text-only accessible version

Coal: 40%
Gas: 38%
Wind/solar: 13%
Hydro: 3%
Other: 6%

How we get our results

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.

Origin Energy in the news 2022

September 2022 – Origin Energy backs out of investment into on-shore gas exploration in Beetaloo Basin – Gas giant Origin Energy is abandoning plans to frack for gas in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin.

September 2022 – What does Origin Energy backing out of gas exploration mean for the Channel Country?

June 2022 – Federal Court orders Origin Energy to pay $17 million penalty over breaching hardship obligations – Electricity provider Origin Energy has been ordered by the Federal Court to pay more than $17 million in penalties for breaching its obligations to customers experiencing hardship and payment difficulties.

March 2022 – Origin Energy ramps up green power plans to prepare for coal’s early exit – Origin Energy chief executive Frank Calabria has scaled up the company’s plans for large-scale clean energy projects to partially replace the capacity set to be withdrawn when Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station closes up to seven years early.

March 2022 – Origin lands multiple supply deals for Australia’s biggest wind farm – Origin Energy has announced multiple renewable energy supply deals for the Stockyard Hill wind farm in Victoria, which will be the biggest in the state – and the country – when it finally gets to full production.

March 2022 – Origin Energy and Rio Tinto urged to review joint ventures with Russian oligarchs – Origin Energy and Rio Tinto have been urged to review joint ventures with Vladimir Putin-linked oligarchs to ensure they are blocked from receiving any profit from Australia’s natural resources, as pressure mounts on investors to dump their stakes in Russian companies.

Origin Energy in the news 2020

December 2020 – Origin Energy pays penalty for allegedly misleading electricity customers – Origin Energy has paid a penalty of $126,000 after the ACCC issued it with an infringement notice for an alleged false or misleading representation in a price increase letter sent to residential electricity customers in Victoria.

November 2020 – Origin links with Japan giant Kawasaki in plan to export ‘green’ hydrogen – Origin plans to produce and export super-chilled liquid hydrogen made from renewable energy in Queensland.

October 2020 – Origin cuts back gas drilling as pandemic drain hits exports – Origin Energy has curtailed drilling at its Queensland natural gas operations in the latest sign of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic’s blow to demand and prices across the oil and gas export industry.

October 2020 – Origin Energy chairman dismisses Beetaloo Basin Indigenous elder’s opposition to fracking during AGM – The chairman of gas giant Origin Energy has dismissed opposition to fracking from some traditional owners in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin, saying the protesters are not native title holders in areas that are active drilling sites.

August 2020 – Origin hits snooze on wind and solar as gas write-downs wipe out profits – Origin Energy may hold off on investments in new wind, solar and storage projects, suggesting that a fall in wholesale electricity prices and the lack of clear policy has made such projects marginal investments.

May 2020 – Australia’s Origin Energy ties up with UK renewables retailer Octopus – May 1 (Renewables Now) – Sydney-based electricity and natural gas company Origin Energy Ltd will acquire a 20% interest in Octopus Energy Ltd, a UK energy retailer with tariffs that feature 100% renewable power and no exit fees.

Origin Energy in the news 2019

October 2019 – ‘We are not the bad guys’: Origin cops climate, fracking grilling – Australian energy giant Origin faced a grilling from climate campaigners about coal-fired power plant emissions and from Aboriginal landowners opposing the company’s fracking plans in the Northern Territory during a day of intense pressure at its annual shareholder meeting in Sydney.

October 2019 – Short-term energy fixes don’t help: Origin CEO – Origin Energy chief executive Frank Calabria has called for clarity around government participation in the energy sector and for a “calm rest” from short-term measures.

September 2019 – Origin rejects activist claims it is out of step on climate goals – Origin Energy has rejected criticism from activist shareholders that its target to halve greenhouse emissions is out of date and it should close its Eraring coal generator two years earlier than planned.

August 2019 – Origin Energy profit surges higher, warns of power market ‘headwinds’ – Energy giant Origin expects government caps on retail power prices to wipe out $100 million in profit in the coming year but says the moves will lead to better outcomes for half a million of its customers.

June 2019 – Billionaire businessman launches legal action to keep Origin Energy fracking off NT cattle station – A billionaire businessman has launched court action against Origin Energy over its plan for gas exploration on a Northern Territory cattle station.