The $2.43 billion sales figure represents a 44% increase from the previous year's performance, even though lower oil prices influenced a 7% drop in earnings from the exploration and production division.

Sparking the Origin performance was the full year's turnover for the Powercor business which Origin acquired in July 2001, and which boosted the retail division's earnings to $173 million, a 161% increase.

This was in the face of mild weather in both summer and winter, which failed to lift generation sales to predicted levels.

Origin paid a final dividend of 3c per share, taking the full year's payout to 5c per share.