Energy bills and costs have been in the headlines for years, with a focus on incomprehensible bills and misleading energy offers. Now, Australia's largest energy class action is seeking to prove that two big electricity generators deliberately inflated consumers' electricity bill.

Moneymag.com.au reports that more than 40,000 electricity customers - households and small businesses – have signed up for the class action, filed by law firm Piper Alderman.

The case is being brought against two Queensland state-owned electricity generators, Stanwell and CS Energy. Both deny the claims.

The alleged price gouging occurred at the generation stage and it is claimed that retail electricity brands simply passed on those inflated prices to consumers.

Piper Alderman says that anyone who paid for electricity in Queensland between 20 January 2015 and 20 January 20 2021 was eligible to register for the case. The action is being fought on a 'no win, no fee' basis.

"There is a lot of complexity in electricity generation and power prices," said Piper Alderman's head of dispute resolution and litigation Greg Whyte. "Our team has spent over two years investigating Stanwell and CS Energy's unlawful conduct.

"The unlawful conduct occurred at the generation stage, and your retailer simply passed that cost through to consumers. This is why this action is available to all Queensland businesses and residents."

Piper Alderman says it believes it has evidence that Stanwell and CS Energy manipulated the wholesale cost of electricity for their own profit.

CS Energy and Stanwell say they will defend the action, with both strongly rejecting Piper Alderman's claims.

"As a Queensland-based and publicly owned Queensland business, the proposed class action is pursuing the revenues that we return to the state which are used to fund important services for all Queenslanders," said CS Energy.

Stanwell chief executive Richard Van Breda said: "The proposed class action is opportunistic and entrepreneurial, funded by an international litigation funder that treats class actions as a means of generating profits."

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