Redfern Convenience Store owner Hazem Sedda shocked by Energy Australia’s utility bill after it more than doubles in a year

A convenience store owner is shocked after being hit with a huge utility bill that was double what he received at the same time last year.

Hazem Sedda, owner of Redfern Convenience Store, in southern Sydney, was stunned after receiving a $10,369 bill in August.

Mr Sedda shared a photo of the bill on Instagram on Friday, calling it crazy and comparing it to a much cheaper $4,306 bill he received in August 2022.

Its energy supplier, Energy Australia, was one of many to raise their prices, citing increases in inflation and wholesale electricity costs as the main reasons for the increases.

In a letter to his fans on Instagram, Mr Sedda wrote that electricity costs for his shop had more than doubled despite efforts to reduce their production.

“During the same period last year, in August 2022, the electricity bill for the convenience store was a reasonable $4306.39,” he wrote.

However, the bill for August of this year dealt a staggering blow, reaching an astonishing $10369.79.

“This drastic increase in costs is particularly concerning, especially given the current winter season and the deliberate avoidance of energy-intensive appliances such as in-store air conditioning units.”

The bill also comes as Mr Sedda is in the process of opening a second shop in Newtown, on the corner of King St and Missenden Road.

His shop has become famous for selling lollipops and snacks that are otherwise hard to come by from overseas or limited edition flavors.

Customers also flock to the store to meet Mr. Sedda, who has won over a fan base thanks to his jubilant personality and boundless positivity.

Mr Sedda took his scare to Instagram, comparing his $10,369 bill from July to a bill from the same period the year before, which only netted him a ‘reasonable’ $4,306

Mr Sedda claims he deliberately tried to use as little electricity as possible in the convenience store in July (pictured)

Energy Australia increased their rates for both their BasicHome and BasicBusiness plans across NSW in July and August.

The energy supplier stated that the increase was “equivalent to the Default Market Offer (DMO) which is set and reviewed annually by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and changes each July.”

The AER said the DMO increases were mainly due to increases in wholesale electricity costs.

“We know that households and small businesses continue to be under pressure with the cost of living on many fronts, which is why it is important that the DMO provide a safety net for those who may not have looked around for a better power deal,” AER chairman Clare Savage said in March.

“In setting DMO pricing this year, we sought to protect consumers from unjustifiably high prices while enabling retailers to offer consumers better deals than their standard plans.”