Mark Chatfield

South Perth company Aviva Corporation is confident of joining Alinta, Griffin Group and NewGen Power as major new entrants to Western Australia’s energy generation sector.

The state government has set January 1 next year as the date for energy utilities Verve and Synergy to commence trading as one entity, after announcing that Michael Smith would be chair of a new board to oversee the merger.

Departing Synergy board member Keith Spence has told Business News the merger of Synergy and Verve had already delivered $70 million in savings.

The head of the Economic Regulation Authority Lyndon Rowe has been appointed full-time chairman of Synergy.

Synergy chairman Lyndon Rowe is confident Synergy’s new board, which was boosted today with the addition of three members, will operate harmoniously.