Canberra (ACT) Electricity Guide

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IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Energy prices in the ACT have changed from 1 October 2021 due to the introduction of a Reference Price. We are working to ensure that the latest product information is displayed. Always confirm details with the provider before making a purchase decision.

We are currently updating our internal systems and are working diligently to bring Canberra back into our electricity comparison tool. We anticipate a resolution in the near future and we appreciate your patience.

Canberra does things a little differently to other parts of Australia when it comes to power. For starters, electricity prices are regulated – which means the government determines exactly what you pay (fitting for a city full of politicians and bureaucrats). Regulation certainly has its benefits, however, as customers in the ACT generally pay less than households in most other parts. But the downside to regulation is that only a few electricity retailers want to operate in the ACT, so customers are fairly limited in their options. But that’s not to say that you can’t save by shopping around and being energy savvy. In this article, Canstar Blue discusses everything you need to know to find a great deal on electricity in the ACT.

Canberra Electricity Providers

There are 13 electricity providers servicing residential customers in Canberra and the ACT. They are:

• ActewAGL
• Amber Electric
• CovaU
• Elysian Energy
• EnergyAustralia
• Energy Locals
• Nectr
• Origin Energy
• Powerclub
• Radian Energy
• ReAmped Energy
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy
• Social Energy

Business electricity customers, however, have a few extra options. In addition to those listed above, business customers can choose from:

• Next Business Energy
• Powerdirect

While there are other options, ActewAGL supplies the vast majority of residential electricity customers in the ACT and surrounding areas. However, with increased competition from Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia in particular – plus a handful more in recent times – it’s important to regularly compare offers to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Just because the government sets a maximum price for power, doesn’t mean you can’t find cheaper!

ActewAGL

ActewAGL is a joint-venture between the ACT government and AGL – one of Australia’s largest energy companies. ActewAGL dominates the ACT residential market, with a market share of around 90 per cent. ActewAGL is also associated with EvoEnergy, which is the energy distributor for the majority of the territory, responsible for maintaining the poles, wires, meters and all other components that make it possible to deliver power to your home. ActewAGL currently has a wide range of market offers for customers in the ACT, some of which have discounts and incentives.

Amber Electric

Amber Electric is one of the newest retailers to enter Canberra and surrounds. It has one market offer that gives customers access to wholesale electricity prices in exchange for a monthly membership fee. Amber customers will need to have a smart meter installed to sign up.

CovaU

Another smaller power company to kick off business in the nation’s capital is CovaU. It has one primary offer in the ACT which features a guaranteed discount off the usage charge component of energy bills. While discounts can be a great way for consumers to save on power costs, just be sure to check the base rates are competitive or any potential savings could be nullified.

Elysian Energy

Elysian Energy offers Canberrans a monthly subscription-based service that includes a set amount of electricity. Any additional power usage beyond this set amount is then billed at a lower usage rate. The retailer claims this approach to billing helps customers budget while staying on top of their energy consumption.

EnergyAustralia

EnergyAustralia has two market offers and one standard plan available to ACT customers – Total Plan Home, No Frills and Basic Home: Total Plan Home features a guaranteed discount off usage and supply charge for 12 months, plus fixed rates, while the No Frills also locks in rates for a year but comes without a discount. Its last plan is a basic offer with average prices.

Energy Locals

Energy Locals offers Canberrans two unique market deals: Online Member and Local Member. Both of these plans come with a monthly membership fee, which claims to unlock competitive wholesale electricity prices for customers. As the name suggests, Online Member is only available to bill-payers who prefer to deal with their provider online via web chat, email or portal.

Nectr

The latest retailer to launch in the nation’s capital is Nectr, a brand that claims to be all about simple low prices and a choice that’s better for the environment. It has two market offers in Canberra, both of which offset customers’ power usage at no extra cost. It has fixed rates and no exit fees.

Origin Energy

Origin Energy now has a wide range of energy products in the ACT, with a number of market offers. The first comes without a discount, but fixed rates for 12 months, and the next carries variable rates for that same time period. It also has some default offers.

Powerclub

Powerclub is a new breed of energy retailer, claiming access to wholesale electricity prices at the cost of an annual membership fee of just $45. “You can’t buy better than wholesale,” Powerclub says. To avoid paying excessively high rates when spot wholesale prices jump, customers also have a ‘Powerbank’ from which they are charged instead. This bank is then replenished when wholesale rates are low.

Radian Energy

One of the latest entrants to the ACT retail market is Radian Energy, a Brisbane-based company that claims to be big on renewable energy and transparent about pricing. Radian Energy is currently offering one market offer in Canberra, known as ‘The Simple Switch’, which comes with fixed rates, no exit fees and a monthly billing option.

ReAmped Energy

ReAmped Energy is the newest provider to enter the ACT market, bringing its low-cost plans and transparent pricing to households. There are currently three market offers from ReAmped Energy – Advance, Handshake and Classic – each of which will suit a variety of customers. All three deals offer competitive rates, but are not locked in.

Red Energy

Now a major electricity retailer in NSW, Red Energy offers a couple of market offers in the ACT. The ‘Living Energy Saver’ comes without any discounts, just decent base rates. Red Energy also offers one of its Qantas Frequent Flyer product in the Canberra area.

Simply Energy

While Simply Energy is technically available to ACT residents, it is only for customers who sign up to the ACT government’s Next Generation Energy Storage Program (NextGen). Under this program, customers receive discounted electricity storage as part of a trial of Reposit technology. Reposit allows customers to use their batteries for Demand Management, exporting electricity from their batteries when demand is high to stabilise the grid.

Social Energy

Social Energy markets itself as a ‘new kind of retailer’, specialising in plans that benefit solar customers. Only Canberra residents who have an eligible solar storage battery along with solar panels can sign up to Social Energy’s flagship offer. On paper, this retailer offers higher than average feed-in tariffs to those with compatible systems.

ACT (Canberra) Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Households with solar in the ACT (Canberra) have the following feed-in tariffs to choose from when picking an energy retailer:

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, December 2021. *Enhanced solar and battery FiT only available to eligible customers.

ACT Electricity Tariffs

Although prices are regulated in the ACT, households in Canberra can still choose their electricity tariff, provided they have a suitable meter installed. An electricity tariff refers to how customers are charged for power. You could pay the same rate for all your electricity usage (single rate), or pay different rates for different levels of usage (block rate). You could also pay different electricity rates depending on the time of day (time of use tariff). Choosing the right tariff for your specific energy usage habits is crucial to getting the best deal possible.

ActewAGL, EnergyAustralia, Energy Locals and Origin Energy all offer these tariffs. They also have a controlled load option, which charges customers a low rate for high-use appliances (such as hot water) on dedicated networks.

Understanding your energy bill

Everything we have just told you is pretty pointless if you’re not sure how to make heads or tails from your electricity bill. Your standard residential electricity bill is comprised of usage charges and supply charges.

• Usage charges: Also known as demand charges, these charges refer to the cost of the electricity you’ve used. Think of it as the actual cost for using an appliance. Usage charges depend on your electricity tariff, described earlier.
• Supply charges: A supply charge is a fixed daily fee that’s added to your bill to cover the cost of transporting the electricity to your home. Supply charges are incurred regardless of how much power you use, if any. Supply charges in Canberra are usually between 80c/day and $1.20/day.

As a general rule of thumb, low usage households should look for low daily supply charges, as these will make up a higher proportion of overall costs. Households that use lots of power will likely be better off looking for low usage rates, as these will inevitably make up a higher proportion of their overall costs.

Each retailer is required by law to publish ‘Energy Price Fact Sheets’, disclosing electricity rates, fees and key contract conditions. Be sure to read the Energy Price Fact Sheet before signing up to an energy deal. If you’re not sure what to look for, check out our article on how to read Energy Price Fact Sheets.

Which energy provider is the best in Canberra?

ActewAGL is undeniably the biggest electricity provider in Canberra. This may be because it offers great prices and service, or it could simply be that many ACT residents simply don’t realise they now have other options to switch to.

Because electricity prices in the ACT are regulated, there probably won’t be much difference in price between retailers. That said, there’s no reason to pay more for electricity than you have to, or accept inferior customer service. With only a few options to choose from, it won’t be too difficult to work out which is cheapest. Check out the link below for more guides on finding a great deal on energy.

Compare Electricity Providers