Perth Energy implements New Zealand based Gentrack Velocity Billing and CRM solution

15 December 2009: Perth-based energy retailer Perth Energy, has successfully deployed its new Gentrack Velocity Billing and CRM solution.

With a reputation for innovation and outstanding customer service, Perth Energy has deployed Gentrack Velocity to support complex billing, tariff management and customer care activities for its diverse customer base in Western Australia (WA). Majority owned by Infratil, Perth Energy supplies electricity to commercial and industrial customers in WA including some of the State’s largest energy users.

“Gentrack Velocity offers Perth Energy a powerful interval billing engine with the flexibility to deliver a multitude of commercial energy products including those that require application of complex rates and tariffs,” says Cesare Tizi, Gentrack Country Manager. “But more importantly it provides a strong IT platform and solution that delivers a great deal of business process automation and market integration, on which they can continue to grow their business in WA and potentially other jurisdictions across Australia.”

With full market contestability in the electricity market yet to be implemented across WA’s main south west interconnected system (SWIS), Perth Energy is well positioned for any such market reforms that would see residential and smaller business customers become contestable to energy retailers. Current electricity reform in WA only provides contestability for commercial and industrial users above the ‘contestability threshold’ of 5.7kW or 50,000kWh consumption per year.

However, Perth Energy Managing Director Ky Cao recently announced that Perth Energy has successfully applied for a Gas Retail License, which will make it only the second retailer in the SWIS to be able to supply gas to the whole gas market, including residential customers.  “This adds rationale to why we have chosen Gentrack Velocity and to implement it now”, Ky said.

“Significant opportunities exist for energy companies like Perth Energy,” continues Tizi. “Agile systems and business process tools are essential to meet any market reform head on while also being prepared for new demand-side management technologies such as Smart Meters. We welcome Perth Energy to the growing Gentrack community in WA where we already work with Horizon Power and Alinta, and we look forward to a long-term partnership supporting their business in the West Australian energy market.”

The go-live at Perth Energy is the latest in a chain of recent successful Gentrack projects in the Australian energy and water industries and further strengthens Gentrack’s position as a leading provider of specialist solutions for energy and water utilities. Gentrack’s billing and customer management solutions are used in over 40 utilities across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, including TrustPower – another utility business within Infratil’s portfolio of energy and infrastructure assets.