Urth Energy, which billed itself as a "boutique" energy retailer focusing on solar energy systems, has appointed an external administrator, affecting as many as 800 customers.
The company was suspended from operating in the national electricity market from Thursday after administrators were called in the previous day, the Australian Energy Regulator said on Thursday.
![Urth Energy, a specialty solar energy retailer, has collapsed.](/web/20170202091853im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/1/r/z/1/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu48fb.png/1486018773941.jpg)
As a result, all customers of the company will be transferred to other electricity retailers - Origin Energy in NSW and Queensland, and AGL in South Australia.
Officials with the company could not be contacted to clarify the reasons for the appointment of external administrators.
A survey of market offers last year found Urth Energy's to be among the more expensive available, although this is believed to have been largely due to the fact that it offered electricity from renewable energy sources.
The survey, released by the St Vincent's de Paul Society, found the Urth offering was as much as $500 a year more expensive than the cheapest market offering, for example.
The Australian Energy Regulator said in a statement that affected customers had been transferred to ensure their electricity supply continued without interruption.
"Approximately 800 electricity customers in South Australia, Queensland and NSW are affected ... The power supply to these customers will not be interrupted," AER acting chairman Cristina Cifuentes said.
"Depending on where the customers are located they were transferred to either AGL, Origin Energy, or EnergyAustralia."
The new retailers would write to affected customers shortly to explain the arrangement and ensure customers were aware of their options for ongoing supply, she said.
There is no obligation for these customers to remain with the new retailer, and they can transfer to a retailer of their choice at any stage.