1st Energy Review and Rates

1st Energy is a small electricity company that operates in New South Wales, Victoria and South East Queensland. But perhaps most significantly, it became the first residential retailer to move into Tasmania to challenge the monopoly of the state-owned Aurora Energy in early 2019.

1st Energy pitches itself as a customer-focused retailer, promising its customers excellent levels of service, quick solutions and peace of mind that their energy company cares about them. 1st Energy also claims to offer a price that “actually reflects the real cost of doing business”. The retailer is also one of few that doesn’t charge its customers a credit card fee for paying their bills.

So, is all this just a sales pitch, or does 1st Energy truly offer a valuable service and good value? In this article, Canstar Blue details what’s on offer from 1st Energy and whether this retailer could be right for you. You can also jump straight into our comparison tool to check the latest pricing for 1st Energy compared to other providers.

• Jump to Tasmania prices

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1st Energy Prices

We outline 1st Energy’s electricity plans in each state below to give you an idea of what you’ll pay. Here’s a quick price check, but remember to use our comparison tool above for a specific comparison in your area.

1st Energy Prices NSW

Here are the 1st Energy plans on our database for NSW. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

1st Energy Prices Victoria

Here are the 1st Energy plans on our database for Victoria. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

1st Energy Prices Queensland

Here are the 1st Energy plans on our database for SE QLD. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4600kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

1st Energy Prices Tasmania

Here are the cheapest published deals from 1st Energy currently on our database for Tasmania. These costs are based on a household with an annual electricity usage of 6775kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff at a selected postcode in Tasmania, but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of price. Use our comparison tool above for a specific comparison in your area. This table includes featured products from a referral partner. Our database may not cover all deals available in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

Where does 1st Energy operate?

If you’re wondering what services 1st Energy is offering in your state, look no further than the table below. We summarise what you can expect to find from 1st Energy in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT and WA.

1st Energy Plans

1st Energy’s electricity deals may seem rather difficult to get your head around at first sight. In addition to its required standing offer, 1st Energy has one or two market offers depending on where you live – the ‘1st Saver’, the ‘Prepaid Value’ and the ‘1st Solar Bonus’. Note that not all of these products will be publicly available all the time.

The 1st Saver and 1st Plus products are relatively similar in value. They usually apply for an ongoing or 12-month contract period respectively and include either a small conditional discount or a bill credit. The main difference is that the Prepaid Value plan offers a discount conditional on a forward payment of $1,000 that is credited toward future bills, while the 1st Saver offers a small for pay on time discount.

To give you some idea of what 1st Energy might cost you, we have estimated the annual costs of the retailer’s plans across each state. These annual costs are based on single rate tariffs and average energy consumption figures for households in each state. We show plans that are currently publicly available.

1st Energy Electricity Rates NSW

In the table below, we show 1st Energy prices on the Ausgrid network in Sydney. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the AER Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,462/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.

*Price assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditions discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Ausgrid network in Sydney, but prices differ between distribution areas. October 2020.

You can see how 1st Energy compares to other New South Wales electricity retailers here.

1st Energy Electricity Rates VIC

In the table below, we show 1st Energy prices on the Citipower network in Melbourne. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the VDO, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year, meaning the VDO is $1,420/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.

~Price assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditions discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Citipower network in Melbourne, but prices will differ between distribution areas. October 2020.

See how 1st Energy compares to other electricity providers in Victoria with our price comparison page.

1st Energy Electricity Rates QLD

In the table below, we show 1st Energy prices on the Energex network in Brisbane. Plans are listed from the lowest priced estimate first. See here for information on the AER Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4600kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,508/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area.

*Price assumes general energy usage of 4600Wh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Estimated price includes any conditional discounts that may be available. Pricing based on Energex network in Brisbane, but prices will differ between distribution areas. October 2020.

According to our calculations, 1st Energy is a reasonably priced electricity retailer, sitting around the middle in our price comparison table for Queensland.

1st Energy Electricity Rates Tasmania

As mentioned above, 1st Energy became the first residential challenger to Tasmania’s state-owned electricity provider, Aurora Energy, when it entered the market in February 2019. While electricity retailers have been able to enter the regulated Tasmanian energy market since 2014, 1st Energy was the first to make the move. Below are 1st Energy’s electricity rates for 1st Saver customers in Tasmania.

Prices as of September 2020. Visit 1st Energy for more details.

The 1st Saver in Tasmania comes with a $100 bill credit off usage and supply charges, with a benefit period of 12 months.

1st Energy also offers a specific deal for solar customer in Tasmania. The retailer has a solar feed-in tariff of 8.471 to 13.471c cents per kWh.

1st Energy Service Guarantee

1st Energy says its goal is to be the best energy retailer and claims to put its customers first and foremost in every decision. It claims to offer competitive rates, no broken promises, and a guarantee that all emails will receive a reply within a day. 1st Energy also says it has “passionate” account managers ready to take your call.

1st Energy Price Match Guarantee

As part of its “honest pricing” ideology, 1st Energy says that if a customer finds a better price on electricity, it will match it or let them go. Presumably this means that 1st Energy will waive exit fees, however according the retailer’s energy price fact sheets, there don’t appear to be any exit fees regardless.

Account Management

1st Energy’s online My Account service provides customers with a number of tools via which they can monitor and manage their account. Via My Account, customers can:

• Pay their bill
• Check their usage
• Access their account details
• Access their latest invoices

When it comes to invoicing, 1st Energy issues invoices on a monthly basis, with customers able to make payment via:

• Credit card and MasterPass online via 1st’s payment portal
• Credit card via phone
• Direct debit
• BPay
• Cheque via mail

1st Energy meets Catch Energy

In addition to providing its own electricity retail services, 1st Energy has teamed up with online deals website Catch.com.au to launch another brand, Catch Energy. The two brands have been open in the fact that, while Catch Energy is the new brand customers will be signing up with, they are effectively becoming 1st Energy customers as the more established power provider will be taking care of billing and customer service. They will also have very similar pricing. The only notable difference seems to be that Catch members are entitled to additional bonus discounts for signing up through Catch.

Is 1st Energy right for me?

1st Energy does have some small discounts, but we must stress that this is not indicative of a better price overall. Customers must compare a range of factors, including usage rates, supply charges and any additional fees. 1st Energy often isn’t the cheapest retailer in town, but it does claim to offer outstanding service. If you’re someone who values being treated like a person and not just a customer number, then perhaps 1st Energy has something to offer you. It’s all about understanding what you want from your electricity company and shopping around until you find it. To start your search, check out our customer satisfaction ratings and price comparison tool via the link below.

If you live in Tasmania, 1st Energy is certainly an attractive proposition given that it is the first challenger to the total dominance of Aurora Energy. But as above, it’s important to carefully compare usage and supply rates to ensure you know exactly what you’re getting into.

About the author of this page

This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Energy Specialist, Jared Mullane. He’s an expert in all things utilities, including electricity, gas and water, helping to make complicated subjects easier to understand for consumers. A trained journalist, Jared is usually one of the first to break energy-related news, whether it’s the latest changes in the industry, price movements, or the next best deal you need to know about.

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