Origin faces court action over alleged vulnerable customer breaches

The news: Victoria's Essential Services Commission has launched Supreme Court action against Origin Energy for alleged failures to meet obligations relating to life support and payment difficulty frameworks.

The numbers: The commission claims three Origin businesses failed to provide payment assistance or accurate information on support to 30,000 vulnerable customers between 2019 and 2023. It also alleges Origin failed to keep accurate records of customers with life support systems at home, putting them at risk in the event of a power outage. Origin shares were trading 1.1% lower on Friday morning at $8.31.

The context: The court action relates to Origin Energy Electricity Limited, Origin Energy (Vic) Pty Limited and Origin Energy Retail Limited. The commission is seeking civil penalties and other remedies, including adverse publicity orders.