NSW $250-for-all power rebate scrapped

New South Wales households holding out for a proposed $250-for-all power rebate could now be left high and dry, as a state government changeover sees the initiative scrapped.

The scheme, if passed, would have seen all NSW households eligible for a $250 one-off power rebate when they compared energy plans through the state’s Service NSW website.

This initiative was first proposed by the Liberal-National party as part of its election campaign. The implementation of the scheme however, relied solely on a Liberal-Nationals re-election, which didn’t occur.

The newly-voted Labor government hasn’t abandoned plans for further energy bill relief in the state though.

Through the NSW Labor’s Energy Relief Fund, households that are already struggling financially are anticipated to receive additional electricity bill support in the form of a $250 credit applied directly to bills.

Eligible NSW small businesses are also set to receive an electricity bill credit worth $315 as part of the Labor Government energy relief package.

Outside of bill relief, NSW Labor has also committed to building more community batteries to help support energy supply, and to developing a new state-owned body to help accelerate investments in renewable energy assets in the state.

A number of electricity and natural gas rebates are still available to NSW households with eligible pension, concession and senior’s cards. These can be applied for via the Service NSW website or by contacting your energy provider.

Households that are concerned about paying for their energy bills should reach out to their provider to discuss potential payment plan or financial hardship options available to them.

For more information about NSW Labor’s energy relief plans, it is best to visit the state government’s website.

Could you be saving money on your power bill in NSW?

Despite the prospect of a one-off $250-for-all power bill credit now scrapped in the state, NSW households may still be able to cash in on some savings on their energy bills by comparing plans and providers. According to the Canstar Blue database, some households in the Sydney area could save as much as $245 a year on average, simply for switching from a default power plan to the cheapest market offer.

With default power prices also drafted to rise by between 20.9% and 22.2% for households across the various NSW distribution networks come July 1, it’ll likely pay for NSW households to keep a finger on the pulse when it comes to cheap electricity plans over the coming months.

To help you get started, we collated some of the cheapest electricity plans currently available in NSW. These have been broken down by each distribution network to help households compare across the state. In case you’ve forgotten or you aren’t sure what your network is, we’ve also outlined this information below:

• Ausgrid: central Sydney, Newcastle, Muswellbrook, Barry, and Merriwa
• Endeavour Energy: Sydney’s greater west, Wollongong, Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, and South Coast.
• Essential Energy: Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Tamworth, Dubbo, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga.

Cheapest electricity plans across NSW

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