Australian Gas Light Company
Encyclopedia
The Australian Gas Light Company (AGL) was an Australian gas and electricity
retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually diversified into electricity and into a number of different locations. After a combination of a merger and demerger with Alinta
in 2006, it was replaced by AGL Energy
.
supplied gas which was used over an area of 600 square kilometres and piped up to 25 kilometres away. The Mortlake Ferry
was constructed with the express purpose of delivering workers who lived on the north side of the harbour to their workplace. By 1925, the company was the seventh largest gas undertaking in the British Empire.
In 1976, AGL converted from town gas to natural gas
following the opening of the Moomba- Sydney natural gas pipeline. In the later part of the 20th century, the company diversified into electricity generation, buying a stake in the Loy Yang Power Station
and ownership of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme
, the Wattle Point Wind Farm
, and a peak load gas-powered power station near Hallett
in South Australia. The company also had significant ownership of gas pipelines plus electricity and gas distribution networks in Australia.
In late 2006, AGL merged with Alinta
and then demerged to create separate retail and infrastructure companies. The transactions were executed on 25 October 2006 via two schemes of arrangement
, resulting in a revised Alinta holding both companies’ combined infrastructure and asset management businesses, and AGL Energy
, which holds AGL’s energy business as well as approximately one third of Alinta’s West Australian retail and cogeneration business (AlintaAGL).
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually diversified into electricity and into a number of different locations. After a combination of a merger and demerger with Alinta
Alinta
Alinta is an Australian energy infrastructure company. It has grown from a small, Western Australia based gas distributor and retailer to the largest energy infrastructure company in Australia. It was bought in 2007 by a consortium including Singapore Power and various now defunct Babcock & Brown...
in 2006, it was replaced by AGL Energy
AGL Energy
AGL Energy is the largest Australian gas and electricity retailer, with over six million customers. It has large investments in the supply of gas and electricity, and has recently invested in sustainable energy businesses such as wind farms and a hydroelectric power station in Victoria’s High...
.
History
In 1837, AGL was given a Royal Charter charged with the responsibility of lighting Sydney's streets. The lights were turned on in 24 May 1841 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria. Town gas was first stored in holder tanks hewn out of solid sandstone at Darling Harbour. Later, a large gas works at MortlakeMortlake, New South Wales
Mortlake is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mortlake is located 17 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay.-Transport:...
supplied gas which was used over an area of 600 square kilometres and piped up to 25 kilometres away. The Mortlake Ferry
Mortlake Ferry
The Mortlake Ferry, also known as the Putney Punt, is a cable ferry that runs across the Parramatta River in Sydney, connecting Hilly Street in Mortlake and Pellisier Road in Putney.- History and heritage :...
was constructed with the express purpose of delivering workers who lived on the north side of the harbour to their workplace. By 1925, the company was the seventh largest gas undertaking in the British Empire.
In 1976, AGL converted from town gas to natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
following the opening of the Moomba- Sydney natural gas pipeline. In the later part of the 20th century, the company diversified into electricity generation, buying a stake in the Loy Yang Power Station
Loy Yang Power Station, Victoria
Loy Yang Power Station is a brown coal fired power station located on the outskirts of the city of Traralgon, in south eastern Victoria, Australia. Loy Yang is a base load supply station, and produces about one third of Victoria's electricity requirements...
and ownership of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme
Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme
The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme is the largest hydro-electric scheme in Victoria and the second largest in mainland Australia after the Snowy Mountains Scheme...
, the Wattle Point Wind Farm
Wattle Point Wind Farm
Wattle Point Wind Farm is a wind farm near Edithburgh on the coast of South Australia, which has been operating since April 2005. When it was officially opened in June of that year it was Australia's largest wind farm at 91 megawatts. The installation consists of 55 wind turbines covering and was...
, and a peak load gas-powered power station near Hallett
Hallett, South Australia
Hallett is a small town with a large history. Situated on the Barrier Highway north of Burra and south-east of Jamestown, Hallett lies close to Goyder's Line, plotted in the nineteenth century by George Goyder, separating the land suitable for cropping from the land suitable for grazing...
in South Australia. The company also had significant ownership of gas pipelines plus electricity and gas distribution networks in Australia.
In late 2006, AGL merged with Alinta
Alinta
Alinta is an Australian energy infrastructure company. It has grown from a small, Western Australia based gas distributor and retailer to the largest energy infrastructure company in Australia. It was bought in 2007 by a consortium including Singapore Power and various now defunct Babcock & Brown...
and then demerged to create separate retail and infrastructure companies. The transactions were executed on 25 October 2006 via two schemes of arrangement
Scheme of arrangement
A scheme of arrangement is a court-approved agreement between a company and its shareholders or creditors...
, resulting in a revised Alinta holding both companies’ combined infrastructure and asset management businesses, and AGL Energy
AGL Energy
AGL Energy is the largest Australian gas and electricity retailer, with over six million customers. It has large investments in the supply of gas and electricity, and has recently invested in sustainable energy businesses such as wind farms and a hydroelectric power station in Victoria’s High...
, which holds AGL’s energy business as well as approximately one third of Alinta’s West Australian retail and cogeneration business (AlintaAGL).