The energy market in Australia is divided into two separate but equally important groups: the distributors, who own the infrastructure (poles, lines, etc.) and retailers, who administrate and manage billing and plans for consumers.
Electricity distributors own and maintain the distribution networks, and are your point of call in the event of an emergency.
For example, on your bill under “faults and emergencies,” the number your retailer provides will put you through to one of these distributors.
The key difference between distributors and retailers is you cannot choose your distributor – your distributor is allocated to you depending on where you live.
Gas distributors work in much the same way as electricity distributors. Gas distributors are responsible for the transmission of gas via pipelines (which they own) to your household.
Gas distributors arrange for fixes to faults or leaks – some distributors own their own maintenance arm, while others contract this out. They are not responsible for checking your meter or sending you a bill each month, two months, or quarter.
Also like electricity distributors, you cannot choose who distributes gas to your premises. This is also dependent on where you live.
You can choose a gas retailer for a lower rate – click here to compare.
