Essential Energy Partners with Kraken to Transform Utility Billing Systems

Essential Energy Joins Forces with Kraken Technologies

On October 21, 2025, in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, Essential Energy, one of the country’s largest electricity distribution operators, has officially announced its partnership with Kraken Technologies, a prominent cloud-based platform provider for the energy sector. This collaboration aims to innovate utility services in electricity distribution networks through the development of a new platform, named "Kraken Distribution."

Revolutionizing Utility Services

The partnership between Essential Energy and Kraken Technologies marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Australian energy sector. Together, the companies are committed to creating an integrated platform that encompasses the entire energy value chain, which includes electricity distribution, generation, and retail services. The ultimate goal is to implement a sophisticated, dynamic energy system that caters to the rapidly changing landscape of energy distribution. Notably, within just four months from the start of this project, the first electricity supply on the Kraken platform has commenced operations, demonstrating an impressive speed of deployment and effectiveness.

Addressing the Rise of Distributed Energy Systems

In recent years, Essential Energy has experienced a notable transformation within its distribution network, due to the deployment of large-scale renewable energy facilities, residential solar panels, and battery storage systems. This shift has led to a more decentralized two-way flow of electricity, which has, in turn, complicated tariff structures and billing processes. Traditional systems are now struggling to manage this complexity. The "Kraken Distribution" platform is designed to tackle these challenges head-on by processing large and intricate data sets in real-time. This enables the delivery of a flexible and equitable pricing structure that significantly enhances operational efficiency and customer experience for electricity distributors.

Kraken's Expansion into Water Services

In addition to its achievements in energy distribution, Essential Energy's water utility division, known as "Essential Water," has also adopted the Kraken platform as its customer management system. This development represents Kraken's entry into international markets outside of the UK, as it is set to provide water utility operators with a comprehensive system for the first time. Currently, Kraken supports approximately 20% of water services in the UK and aims to leverage its extensive experience and technological prowess to drive digital transformation and efficiency in the water sector.

Insights from Leadership

The CEO of Kraken Technologies, Amir Orad, commented on the significance of this collaboration, stating, "Partnering with Essential Energy represents two major milestones for us. The first being our ability to cover the entire energy value chain through the 'Kraken Distribution,' and the second being our venture into the international water utility sector. In both areas, we have already demonstrated our technology's responsiveness, with the first customers going live just weeks after commencing the project."

John Cleland, CEO of Essential Energy and Essential Water, echoed his excitement about the partnership. He stated, "This collaboration with Kraken enables us to forge a customer-centric innovative platform that enhances our operations and customer experiences. This partnership marks a crucial step toward shaping the future of the distribution sector amidst the ongoing energy transition."

About Essential Energy

Essential Energy provides electricity to approximately 900,000 customers in New South Wales and parts of Southern Queensland, managing around 1.4 million utility poles across a sprawling network covering roughly 95% of the state. Their mission is to ensure a safe and reliable power supply to communities while investing in advanced technologies for next-generation network development. Essential Energy Website

About Kraken Technologies

Kraken Technologies is the only integrated platform in the world supporting the digital transformation of the energy industry. Based in the UK, Kraken serves major utility companies globally, including EDF Energy, E.ON Next, Octopus Energy, Origin, and Tokyo Gas, managing over 70 million energy contracts. Kraken also underpins the largest home-based Virtual Power Plant (VPP) and Europe's most significant grid-scale battery operations. Utilizing AI and machine learning for automation has tremendously improved operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, resulting in substantial cost savings. Kraken Technologies Website