Do you look forward to renewing your annual energy plan? Do you diligently sift through the hundreds of plans on offer by the 50 or so retailers? The government’s Energy Made Easy Website helps, but many of us are overwhelmed by the complexities or don’t make the effort, accepting whatever plan our retailer picks for us.

This is understandable, but the likely consequence is that you are being duped out of hundreds of dollars a year.

For instance, my retailer, Origin Energy, begins the renewal process with a chirpy email arriving a month before my current plan elapses, headed, “Your energy plan’s ending, so we’ve picked a new one for you”.

“Your energy plan’s ending, so we’ve picked a new one for you”.

This year’s pick, branded “Origin Easy”, is promoted as “2 per cent less than the reference price”. (The reference price is set by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) as a default safety net and maximum price that a retailer can charge.)

The email mentions that I’m free to choose another plan, but doesn’t provide any details or give any hints that much cheaper plans are available. It also reassures me that I........

© The Age