Compare Electricity Plans

If you’ve reached a stalemate on price then it might be time to start looking at the type of plan you want. For most Australian households, it’ll be a toss-up between a market offer and standard contract. 

Market Offers

Market retail contracts are energy plans designed by retailers. These are almost always cheaper than the alternative standard retail contracts offered, and are likely to include discounts, incentives or bonuses for customers. The main downside to a market offer is that a retailer can change the price at any time, unless it is a fixed rate plan. The majority of these offers come with variable rates. 

Standard Contract

Standard retail contracts – also known as standing offers of default market offers – are plans with the terms and prices set by a state government. Retailers in deregulated electricity markets must provide a standard retail contract by law as a default option for customers yet to switch to a market offer contract. Standard retailer contracts generally have higher rates than market retail offers and there are no discounts available. As such, standard offers are more expensive and are not intended as a viable alternative to market contracts.

Variable vs Fixed Rate

If choosing a market offer, the next decision will be whether you want to lock-in your rates for a period of time or leave it in the hands of your provider. Fixed rate energy plans are a great way to bring a level of certainty to your power bills for 12 to 24 months. But it does mean that you’re stuck with that price until your contract ends. With variable rates while your prices may fluctuate, it does mean that if cheaper prices become available, you’ll have a better chance of accessing them. And rest assured – while your retailer can change prices at any time on a variable rate offer, they are still legally required to give you at least five business days’ notice before implementing any changes to your bill.

Electricity charges refer to the individual cost components that make up an energy bill. The two main charges are supply and usage. 

Supply Charges

An electricity supply charge is a cost incurred for remaining connected to an energy network. Supply charges vary considerably from state to state, generally ranging in costs from 80c to $1.50 each day. Even if you don’t use any power, you will still need to pay the supply charge. Despite supply costs being a charge imposed by energy distributors, the rates will vary from retailer to retailer. 

Usage Charges

Electricity usage charges are what you pay for each kWh of electricity your household consumes – the more energy you use, the more you will pay. Usage charges generally cost around 20c/kWh to 40c/kWh, but prices vary significantly between states and depending on your provider. Usage charges will typically be the costliest element of your electricity bill, so it’s important to understand what rate you are paying and whether you could find a lower rate with a different supplier.

A tariff refers to the pricing structure of your electricity usage charges. Depending on your tariff, you may be charged different rates depending on when, or how, you use electricity. Tariffs can vary between energy retailers, but the most common electricity tariffs are:

Single Rate Tariffs

A single rate tariff charges electricity at a flat rate, no matter the time of day or season. This is generally the standard tariff an energy customer is placed on and doesn’t require additional metering or resources. If you are a single rate tariff customer, you might see these charges referred to as a ‘peak’, ‘anytime’ or ‘general usage’ rate on your bill. 

Time of Use Tariffs

A time of use tariff charges different rates for power depending on the time of day, or in some cases the time of year, you are using your energy. These charges are generally broken into three sections; peak, off-peak and shoulder. Peak time is when customers will be charged the most for power usage as this time correlates to when demand is greatest on the grid – typically between 3pm and 9pm on weekdays. Off-peak times are generally the cheapest for customers on this kind of tariff, however this time is usually in the middle of the day or later in the evening, depending on where you live. Shoulder times cover all those outside of these. 

Controlled Load Tariffs

A controlled load tariff is a separate charge used to measure power from high-usage appliances, such as hot water systems or pool pumps. Typically, this tariff is only charged for limited hours in the day and will only measure usage from the nominated appliance. As such, a controlled load tariff must be used in conjunction with a single rate or time of use tariff, which can then measure the rest of the properties’ energy usage. 

Peak and off-peak electricity times refer to separate usage rates that are charged for different times of the day. This type of pricing structure is only  available to customers on a time of use tariff. A flexible pricing tariff means customers are charged three separate electricity usage rates for either ‘peak’, ‘off-peak’ or ‘shoulder’ periods, and is common for households with smart meters installed.

• Peak: A ‘peak rate’ is charged during periods where there is a high demand for electricity. Peak usage rates are generally applied from 3pm to 9pm and are considerably higher than those charged in off-peak or shoulder periods.
• Off-Peak: An ‘off-peak rate’ is charged during periods of reduced energy usage. Off-peak electricity rates generally apply from 11pm through to 7am and are much cheaper than shoulder or peak period rates.
• Shoulder: A ‘shoulder rate’ is a rate charged between peak and off-peak periods when there is a mild demand for electricity. Shoulder rates usually apply from 9pm to 11pm and 7am to 3pm. Shoulder rates are more expensive than off-peak periods and cheaper than peak periods.

There are a few scenarios in life which could leave you scratching your head trying to figure out who your energy provider is. Whether you’ve moved into a new place and have stayed with the previous occupant’s energy provider, or the energy bill responsibility has just been passed down to you and you’re unsure of where to even start, don’t fret, there are a couple of things you can do to check.

1. Talk to the last person who would have taken care of the bill: If you’re still able to get in touch with the last person paying the bill, whether it be an old housemate or family member, the best thing to do is ask them to transfer the electricity account into your name. The same goes if you’ve just moved into a new house, where you might be able to get in touch with the old residents through your landlord or real estate agent.
2. Call up your electricity distribution network: Finding your distributor is as easy as visiting our region-specific distribution network guide. They will be able to tell you what electricity provider is currently registered to your address.

What if I have a complaint about my supplier?

To issue a complaint about your electricity retailer, you can contact the energy Ombudsman for your respective state or territory.

• Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria
• Energy and Water Ombudsman New South Wales
• Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland
• Energy and Water Ombudsman South Australia
• Energy and Water Ombudsman Western Australia
• Energy Ombudsman Tasmania
• Australian Capital Territory Ombudsman
• Ombudsman Northern Territory

Before submitting a complaint to the ombudsman, try resolving the issue with your electricity retailer first. You and your energy company will usually be able to reach a solution without a need to take it further.

There is an important distinction between electricity retailers and distributors. In a nutshell, a retailer is the company that bills a customer for using energy, while a distributor is responsible for maintaining electricity supply. For billing enquiries, it’s best to contact your electricity retailer, otherwise known as a power supplier. You’ll need to contact your energy distributor if you’re enquiring about a power supply issue, outage, new electricity connection or fallen powerlines.

According to our customer satisfaction ratings research published in February 2023, the average quarterly electricity bill in Australia sits at around $292. Please note, this data included households of all sizes and should be used as a general guide only.

Energy is an essential service and one almost all households will have to spend money on, but that doesn’t mean it has to cost you an arm and a leg. If you’re looking to shave a few bucks off your next power bill, insulating your home or installing energy efficient lighting and appliances may help. Unplugging appliances and monitoring your energy usage through apps or devices may also assist you in keeping informed of your usage habits.

Discounts are a percentage deduction made from your electricity costs at the end of each billing period. Energy discounts are only available on market retail contracts, and the amount you are discounted – if at all – will vary across different plans and electricity companies. Discounts you might commonly encounter include:

• Pay on time discount
• Direct debit discount
• Bundled energy discount
• Unconditional energy discount
• Email billing discount

The discount amount will usually be taken off your electricity usage costs. However, some providers have discounts off your entire bill instead. Be aware that not all high-discount plans work out the cheapest overall options as some of the contracts with the highest discounts will also include the highest usage or supply charges, which can negate the overall savings. Failing to meet the conditions of your discount could also mean you are charged a fee. Also keep in mind that energy discounts have benefit periods and can expire.

Deregulated energy markets allow providers more freedom to compete. There are typically two levels to energy market deregulation in Australia: competition and price deregulation. Some states and territories may choose to keep regulating prices, but allow other retailers to compete for market share. Others may choose to deregulate both. New South Wales, south-east Queensland, South Australia and Victoria operate as completely deregulated markets.

Regulated energy markets tend to have more restrictions around price and competition, leaving limited options for customers. Similar to deregulated markets, regulated markets also have varying levels of restriction. Tasmania, the Northern Territory, regional and far north Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory are still regulated for price but have deregulated competition, meaning other providers are welcome to join. Western Australia is currently the only state to still regulate both competition and price.

While a bundled energy deal may simplify your bills, you should only do so if you’re still getting a good price for both your electricity and natural gas. As such, it is important to compare these plans separately and read the fine print, including the details of any conditional discounts that may arise from it being a dual fuel package, before making a purchase decision. Some retailers may also only offer natural gas if you are already an electricity customer, so be sure to keep an eye out for that too.

Most energy companies let you switch online in a process that often takes just a matter of minutes. Before you do this, however, make sure you’re not locked into a minimum term contract with your provider, because if you are, a cancellation or exit fee may need to be paid. If you have an open term contract, it’s not necessary to inform your current provider that you’re leaving – your new energy company will handle that for you. The steps to switch energy providers in Australia are as follows:

1. Find a new energy plan and sign up
2. Your old power provider will then take up to two business days to finalise your details and transfer your information to your new provider
3. Your new retailer will then send a welcome package and reach out to discuss any payment details with you.

Moving house is hassle enough and the last thing you want to worry about is having to connect your electricity. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. If you’re moving house, here are some tips to help you get the lights switched on quick and easy.

1. Contact your provider in advance: Make sure to notify your provider of your intended move with plenty of notice. This way, it can organise an end date for the power at your old place and a start date for the new one. Most providers have a section on their website with information on how to organise this. Alternatively, you can also call.
2. Check whether you need to disconnect or reconnect the power: In some instances, you may also need to have the power disconnected or reconnected to the grid entirely when you move. This typically comes at an additional cost.
3. Take a reading of both meters: If possible, try and record the number on the meter at your old residence when you leave and the new place once you move in. This way, if the power is left on in either location, you aren’t footing the bill for someone else’s energy usage.

Can I have electricity at two houses while moving?

Yes, it is possible to have electricity switched on at two locations while moving house, even if both properties are in your name. Although, be warned this can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, this allows you to rest assured that the electricity will be on no matter your location. But, if you’re not proactive with switching one location off soon enough, you may end up forking out on two separate power bills!

You’ll generally only need a smart meter if you wish to access flexible pricing tariffs, such as time of use tariffs. Smart meters are meters that provide energy usage information every half hour, allowing households and businesses to more closely monitor usage through apps and web portals.

Smart meters are installed in most Victorian homes and are becoming increasingly common in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. It is recommended that customers monitor their electricity usage through their smart meter to become better informed about their usage habits, which could result in reduced costs.