STAFF PROFILE – Melissa Lascelles

With extensive industry knowledge and experience, Melissa brings insight and clarity to her role as a Portfolio Manager. Her experience as both a retail client and a portfolio manager in the energy industry means she can be innovative and responsive in delivering optimal solutions for our clients. With a focus on client relationships, Melissa believes that collaboration helps to bring the best possible energy portfolio outcomes.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Don’t sweat the small stuff.  I continue to remind myself of this on a regular basis.

Name a place you have never been to and would like to visit. Why?

Sabah. A remote non-western location with gorgeous beaches, the ability to switch off and spend quality time with my family without technology.

Who or What inspires you?

Those that know me understand my strong interest in fashion.  I aim to live by one of Coco Chanel’s infamous quotes:

‘Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman’

What is one of the biggest challenges facing energy customers today?

Affordability.

For large industrial and commercial customers, the early conversation with Senior Management to prepare for price shocks in the current market.  I recommend that you understand the business drivers – are you managing to a budget or is the aim to reduce costs?  This will assist with establishing a suitable framework to improve the communication and management of electricity costs.

For residential customers, affordability is a continual conversation in households today.  Perish the thought of candles being utilised because of the cost of electricity in a OECD country.

What does a typical day look like for you at Edge?

Everyday I speak with our Markets Advisory team to discuss any major events in the energy market and the potential impacts to my customers.  We then brainstorm any suitable actions such as client recommendations, forward contracting and negotiations with retailers.

I spend a lot of my time communicating with customers and managing their energy portfolio. I provide them with detailed reporting such as budgets, accruals and invoice reconciliation reports and assist them with cost savings initiatives that are suitable for presentation to their business.

Alinta reported to be likely buyer of Loy Yang B

The Australian Financial Review has reported Alinta as the preferred bidder for the Victorian brown coal station Loy Yang B, offering in the range of $1 to $1.3 b for the power station which accounts for roughly 20% of coal capacity in Victoria.  There is another interested party, China Resources which are believed to have made a higher bid, however would require approval from its Chinese parent company as well as Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). Alinta already has FIRB approval.

Current owner ENGIE is expected to make a decision regarding the sale a next weeks board meeting in Paris.

It is conceivable that more contracts will be made available in Victoria after the sale is announced. ENGIE would have been cautious in signing up new contracts without knowing the future ownership of the power station and Alinta will not be able to sell contracts before the sale is confirmed. This could ultimately put downwards pressure on contracts in Victoria.

Any downward pressure on price would be a welcome relief in Victoria. Prices for electricity on the Australian Stock Exchange for calendar year 2018 delivery in Victoria has increased more than 50% from 1 January 2017 to the end of October 2017. The announcement is not expected to reverse this increase, however could provide some relief.

If you would like to understand how the announcement affects your portfolio, please contact Edge on (07) 3232 1115.