Sky-high wholesale energy costs are set to increase further next month, leading experts to warn that Australia is on the edge of a crisis that will further squeeze household budgets and kill off many energy retailers. Generating electricity has become a lot more expensive in recent months with the prices of coal and gas spiking (as we’ve just talked about…), along with our own network and supply issues. One of Australia’s biggest energy suppliers Origin was forced to downgrade its earnings forecast yesterday due to a shortage of coal at its massive Eraring plant in NSW – a situation expected to persist into 2023. There are also concerns that a gas shortage could be set to bite industry. And with wholesale energy costs regularly outstripping retail prices, smaller retailers and their customers are feeling the crunch. ReAmped is one that bowed out this week, telling its 80,000 customers to look elsewhere for their electricity.