Compare electricity and gas providers in the ACT

In the ACT, the electricity and gas market is both regulated and deregulated; this means that you have the freedom to pick and choose between energy providers in a deregulated market, but you can also ask for a regulated contract from your provider so you’ll only pay the price set by the government.

States and territories with a regulated energy market have their energy prices determined by the government, and customers can’t pick and choose their energy provider. Conversely, customers in deregulated states and territories can choose their provider, and prices aren’t government-regulated, so the energy market tends to see more competitive rates between the providers.

As of August 2018, the average annual electricity bill in Canberra is $1,831.82 for a market offer and $2,010.19 for a standing offer (these figures are based on the median of each offer across four retailers).*

According to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), Canberrans on a median market contract are spending the least in the country for electricity.

A market offer is set by your energy provider and is subject to change at any time, even after you’ve signed up. However, market offers sometimes include discounts and a fixed price or price guarantee period. A standard offer differs from a market offer in that:

• it’s often set by the government
• it can only change once every six months
• doesn’t include discounts.

*Figures are taken from the AER’s annual report on compliance and performance of the retail energy market 2017-2018.

Since the ACT’s energy market is both regulated and deregulated, there’s a range of energy plans and tariffs customers can choose from. Depending on various factors, including where you live and your electricity usage, your plan may feature a tariff that helps reduce the cost of your electricity.

Cost of electricity in the ACT

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the average weekly cost of electricity in Canberra was $29.13 in the September quarter of 2017. During this same period, the average weekly cost for gas and other household fuels was $25.40.

According to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), your electricity bill is calculated from a number of costs and charges, like:

• retail costs, which contribute to your electricity provider to help pay for services like customer account management, bill postage and phone support;
• wholesale costs. These are to pay the energy wholesaler for generating electricity and producing gas; and
• network costs, which pay your electricity distributor for building, maintaining and operating the energy distribution network, as well as actually transporting and distributing energy to your property.

Your electricity costs are also influenced by:

• any discounts outlined in your electricity contract, like pay-on-time discounts or discounted usage rates
• penalties you may incur, like late payment fees
• the type of tariff/s you’re on.

Types of tariffs in the ACT

Tariffs are the pricing structures that influence the way you’re charged for your energy usage. Depending on the type of tariff you’re on, you could spend more or save money on your electricity and gas bill. The following are the types of tariffs that may be applicable in the ACT:

• single rate tariff charges the same, single rate for your energy usage throughout the day – there are no peak or off-peak times;
• time of use tariff charges different rates throughout the day depending on which times you use energy; these times are generally known as peak, off-peak, and shoulder. You’ll need a smart meter or time of use meter to take advantage of a time of use tariff plan;
• controlled load tariff charges a lower, off-peak rate for large household appliances (like underfloor heating or electric hot water systems) that usually run during the night or in off-peak periods; and
• demand tariff, which charges regular usage rates as well as additional charges when you use more electricity during demand times like, for instance, when you have multiple appliances running during a peak period. You’ll need a smart meter for a demand tariff plan.

A tariff is comprised of two parts: the daily supply charge and the usage charge. The daily supply charge (also known as service or fixed charge) is a set amount your provider charges to supply electricity or gas to your home – it isn’t influenced by how much energy you actually use.

The usage charge (also known as the consumption or variable charge) is the cost of the electricity or gas you use and will be shown on your bill as cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh) for electricity and cents per megajoule (c/MJ) for gas. Some tariffs, like time of use, may apply more than one usage charge to your bill for peak, off-peak and shoulder times.

Peak, off-peak and shoulder times

To take advantage of peak, off-peak and shoulders times and rates, you’ll need to have a smart meter and be on a time of use tariff plan. You may find that the actual times of these periods may vary between providers, but according to the ACT government, peak, off-peak and shoulder times in ACT are as follows:

• peak times are from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm. This is when there is a higher demand for electricity usage in the territory, so it’ll cost you more to use appliances during these busier times;
• shoulder times are from 9am to 5pm and 8pm to 10pm. Shoulder times see less electricity usage in ACT than peak times and, as such, the cost of energy during this time is a little cheaper; and
• off-peak times are from 10pm to 7am. Electricity usage is at its lowest during this time and is, therefore, the cheapest out of the three time periods.

The ACT offers a Utilities Concession for eligible residents, which can help you save money and minimise your overall cost of living. As of July 2018, the annual rebate amount is $654.

You may be eligible for the Utilities Concession if you are the primary holder of one of the following cards:

• Veteran’s Affairs Pensioner Concession Card or Gold Card
• Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
• Centrelink Low Income Health Care Card.

The Concession covers electricity, gas, water and sewage, and you can apply for it by simply contacting your energy provider. It’s also worth keeping in mind that you can only apply for a Utilities Concession from the start date of your concession card.

Below is a list of electricity providers in the ACT. Our partners, who feature in our energy comparison service are coloured blue, while those who aren’t currently partners are in black.

ACT electricity providers

• ActewAGL
• Energy Locals
• EnergyAustralia
• Origin Energy
• Powerclub
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy

No matter where you are in the ACT, our energy comparison service can help you find an energy plan suited to your location, needs and budget. Simply enter a few details, like your energy usage and postcode, and, within minutes, you can compare a range of electricity and gas plans to find some of the cheapest ACT electricity and gas plans.

When it comes to finding the cheapest ACT electricity provider, it’s crucial you compare energy plans on offer for your postcode from providers around the territory. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a table of the cheapest electricity Canberra has to offer. The annual figures below are based on a two-person household with average energy consumption.

* The prices and information provided above are based on a house with two adults and one child in the postcode of 2600 and are accurate as of September 2019. Data sourced from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). Plans are prices are subject to change.

Whether you’re in Tharwa or Hall, Williamsdale or Parliament House itself, you can use our energy comparison service to find suitable electricity plans for your household or business. All you need to do is enter a few details about your property and energy usage, and our service will provide you with a selection of energy plans, where you can compare usage rates, discounts, fees, charges and more – and it takes only minutes!

In Canberra, customers will pay a fixed daily supply charge for electricity to be distributed to their property as well as a usage charge for each kilowatt hour of that electricity they use, which is charged as cents per kWh (c/kWh). The more electricity that a customer uses, the higher the usage charges will be.

Take a look through our provider comparison table above to easily compare the cheapest electricity providers in Canberra and their plans and rates. Alternatively, head over to our energy comparison service to enter your details and compare a range of plans that are suited specifically to your household and usage needs.