AGL sells electricity to just under 2.1 million households, or over 22% of Australia's residential customers, according to 2021–22 figures. AGL joined the Australian market in 1837, supplying gas for street lamps, and claims to have a proud heritage of innovation. AGL speaks toward sustainability in its media pages, claiming approximately 20% of the total generation capacity within Australia's National Electricity Market.
On this page:
AGL was established in 1837 and currently has over 2 million residential customers - it is a publicly owned entity, which means it is partially Australian owned. Its head office is in Sydney with a call centres in Adelaide and Melbourne.
It is one of the few energy retailers that is climate active. However, the company owns and operates coal, gas, battery, hydro, solar and wind energy. It operates large coal-fired power stations and gas-fired power plants.
Contact details for AGL Energy
Which states does AGL supply?
AGL is is available in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳Expert Rating on AGL
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳Expert Rating: 53%
Green electricity score: 12%
Complaints score: 99%
Call response score: 61%
ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳verdict on AGL
Environmental
- 83% of AGL's generation comes from burning coal. It's Australia's biggest climate polluter accounting for about 8% of national greenhouse gas emissions.
- It currently has extensive investments in CSG and coal power stations, with emissions intensity above NEM average.
- AGL was penalised by EPA NSW for pollution in 2021.
- Its green electricity results have sharply declined from a star rating of 7 out of 10 in 2019-2020, to 1.2 out of 10 in 2020-21.
- It plans to burn coal until 2045 and is involved in mining, as well as burning it.
- It offers carbon offsets (other than GreenPower) and is involved in renewable assets.
- AGL has comprehensive and accessible energy efficiency products and involvement in demand management/response programs.
Customer service
- 11,208 (or 0.5%) of AGL's customers lodged complaints again the company in 2021-22. This is a notable decrease on the over 17,000 complaints lodged in 2020-21.
- 60% of calls made to AGL are answered within 30 seconds.
- Many callers are left waiting longer – the average wait time is 85 seconds.
- 6.7% of callers hang up before their call is answered. This is marginally more more than the 5.5% of callers that hung up during our 2020-21 survey.
AGL's energy sources
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.
coal 84.27%
gas 6.01%
wind 6.42%
hydro 2.50%
solar 0.80%
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.
March - - Electricity giant AGL has secured planning approval to build a grid-scale battery on the site of the soon-to-be-closed Liddell coal-fired power plant in the Hunter Valley, beginning its proposed transition to a low-carbon "energy hub".
March - - Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his partners Brookfield Asset Management are set to abandon their takeover bid for energy giant AGL, after the electricity company rejected a second offer worth around $9 billion.
June - - The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined AGL Macquarie Pty Ltd (AGL) $15,000 for alleged air pollution offences at its Liddell Power Station.
November 2020 - - AGL firmly believes in a net zero future and is "comfortable" with 2050 as the deadline for that goal.
October 2020 - - Investors have objected to remuneration at the large electricity and gas supplier amid broader dissatisfaction across the market on pay.
August 2020 - - The COVID-19 pandemic has given extra bite to the chilly headwinds facing AGL Energy, with shock guidance on 2020-21 profits pointing to a drop of as much as 46 per cent in benchmark earnings in the space of two years and sending the shares to a five-year low.
August 2020 - - AGL's share price was down 10% on its results day, because its FY2021 guidance was way below expectations.
November 2019 - - Wind and solar farms owned by AGL Energy and QIC are among renewable power plants that are set to be even worse hit by transmission losses next financial year as developers pay the price for the unco-ordinated flood of new capacity onto remote parts of the grid.
October 2019 - - AGL Energy chief executive Brett Redman has signalled a move into transport fuels and wouldn't rule out a possible re-entry into natural gas production as the utility adapts to the rapidly evolving energy market and the entry of oil majors onto its patch
September 2019 - - The NSW government will spend $75 million to spur private investment in renewable energy and storage in the state ahead of the Liddell coal-fired power plant's 2023 closure.
August 2019 - - Company says parts of coal-fired Hunter Valley plant will stay open until 2023, and life of Torrens A, near Adelaide, may also be extended.
May 2019 - - Wastewater policy a 'significant hurdle' to company's plans for Crib Point.
We're on your side
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳membership today
We care about accuracy. See something that's not quite right in this article? or read more about
fact-checking at CHOICE.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
