Following an investigation, the Economic Regulation Authority has determined that Tronox breached the rules governing Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market from 14 March 2025 to 2 April 2025.
Tronox’s behaviour led to it incorrectly receiving around $12 million in energy uplift payments, which are paid to generators and charged back to major power users based on their consumption.
Over the past few months, the ERA has worked with Tronox and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to facilitate a process where the near $12 million Tronox received in incorrect payments has been redistributed to the major energy consumers that paid them.
The ERA has issued Tronox with a civil penalty of $300,000, which takes into account both the seriousness of Tronox’s behaviour, but also the efforts Tronox has made to cooperate with the ERA, and to rectify the issue by repaying the funds.
Tronox will also undertake a series of actions to improve its understanding of, and compliance with, the market rules. Tronox has 28 days to either pay the civil penalty or to appeal the ERA’s decision.
After this period, if Tronox pays the penalty, the ERA will update its public register of breaches of the market rules.