RoLR Event
On Friday 3 July 2026, ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd (ZEN Energy) entered voluntary administration and appointed an insolvency official. The appointment of an insolvency official constitutes a Retailer of Last Resort (RoLR) event under section 122 of the National Energy Retail Law (Retail Law).
Electricity retailer authorisation revoked
Under section 142 of the Retail Law, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) revoked ZEN Energy's electricity retailer authorisation (AER reference E17006) with effect from 24:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time on 6 July 2026 (i.e. midnight on Monday 6 July) (the transfer date).
This means that, for the purposes of section 88 of the Retail Law, ZEN Energy must not engage in the activity of selling electricity to a person for premises in New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.
Electricity licence revoked
National Energy Retail Law (Victoria) Act 2024 and the National Energy Retail Law (Victoria) Regulations 2024 commenced on 30 July 2024. The amendments gave the AER responsibility for managing RoLR events across the National Energy Customer Framework and in Victoria.
Where the AER issues a RoLR notice following a specified RoLR Event and revokes a failed national retailer’s retail authorisation, section 49B(2) of the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic) automatically revokes that retailer’s Victorian licence.
Under section 49B(2) of the Electricity Industry Act, as the AER has revoked ZEN Energy's electricity retailer authorisation, ZEN Energy's electricity retail licence is also revoked with effect from the transfer date.
This means that ZEN Energy must not engage in the activity of selling electricity to a person for premises in Victoria.
Background
On 28 November 2017, the AER approved an electricity retailer authorisation application from ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd (ZEN Energy) under the National Energy Retail Law (Retail Law).
On 19 September 2017, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) accepted an application from ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd (ZEN Energy) for an electricity retailer authorisation under the National Energy Retail Law (Retail Law). ZEN Energy is now authorized to retail electricity as and when the Retail Law is adopted in each participating jurisdiction.
The AER sought submissions from interested stakeholders. Consultation on the application closed on 18 October 2017. No submissions were received.
Change of registered business name
From May 2018 ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd.'s legal name changed to SIMEC ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd.
From 30th July 2020 SIMEC ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd.'s legal name changed to ZEN Energy Retail Pty Ltd.