Compare electricity plans in NSW

How to choose the right NSW electricity plan for you

Canstar Blue makes it easy to compare energy plans in New South Wales. Compare electricity rates and other features with our comparison tool and find a deal that’s best for you. Here’s how it works:

1. Enter your postcode into our comparison tool or upload a past bill and press the search icon on the right-hand side.
2. Filter results by provider, contract length, conditional discount, billing frequency, and plan features. If you have a controlled load, edit the blue text in the white box above the tool and change your tariff type in the ‘refine your search section.
3. Sort results by value rank, customer satisfaction or price.
4. Find your perfect plan and click the green ‘See offer’ button to sign up on the provider’s page.

Who is the cheapest electricity provider in NSW?

Energy Locals and Sumo are currently some of the cheapest energy retailers in NSW. However, this list is constantly changing, as energy providers regularly update their offerings. 

The cheapest provider one day may not be so the next month, so it’s important to regularly compare plans and providers to ensure you’re still on the best deal possible.

Who has the best electricity rates in NSW?

Generally, a competitive usage rate in NSW is 27-28¢/kWh, which refers to the cost per kWh of grid electricity consumed.

A reasonable supply charge sits at about 90-91¢/day, — this is the daily fixed charge incurred to maintain the network and transport power to your home.

But ultimately, the best electricity rates are going to come from a retailer that can meet the needs of your household:

• If you are part of a smaller, lower usage household, this may be through the use of a cheaper supply charge.
• For bigger households, this may be the one with the cheapest usage rates.

What are the types of tariffs in NSW?

Tariffs describe the method by which your electricity company charges you. In New South Wales, there are a couple of different electricity tariffs available, including:

• Single rate: Electricity rates are the same regardless of the time of day.
• Time of use: Different rates depending on when you use electricity — peak, off-peak, and shoulder periods.
• Controlled load: One or more appliances, such as your hot water system, are metered separately from the rest of the house.

Certain networks in New South Wales also allow access to what is known as a transitional time of use tariff, where its peak and off-peak times differentiate based on the seasons you’re in.

What energy rebates and concessions are available in NSW

Eligible households in New South Wales have options for support in paying their electricity bills. Here is a list of concessions provided by the NSW state government.

• Federal Government’s Energy Bill Relief Fund extension: Australian households can claim an additional $150 off electricity bills in July 2025
• Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA): Up to $400 available to households experiencing a short-term financial crisis. This is awarded through vouchers that are added directly to power bills.
• NSW Low Income Household Rebate: Up to $350 available for eligible concessional cardholders annually.
• NSW Seniors Energy Rebate: Up to $250 per household per year for eligible seniors.
• NSW Family Energy Rebate: Up to $250 per household per year for eligible families with dependents.
• NSW Life Support Energy Rebate: Up to $1,638 for eligible households with life-sustaining medical equipment.
• NSW Medical Energy Rebate: Up to $350 per household and $385 a year per embedded network household for Aussies relying on air conditioning and heating to self-regulate body temperatures.

What is the Default Market Offer (DMO) in NSW?

The DMO is a safety-net price for homes on standing offer plans in New South Wales (NSW), South East Queensland (SEQ) and South Australia (SA). The DMO is set by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) yearly, changing every July 1.

If you haven’t switched energy plans for 12 months or more, you’re likely to be on a standing offer plan. The DMO shields customers who aren’t active in the energy market from overpaying for electricity.

More importantly, it serves as a clear reference point to compare market offers against, which typically come with cheaper usage rates and conditional discounts such as sign-up bonuses

The ‘reference price’ column in our comparison tool above shows the percentage difference in price between each market offer and the DMO in NSW.

What are distribution zones in NSW?

In different distribution zones (or networks), you’ll likely be paying different rates for power than households in other parts of NSW.

That’s because distribution costs account for as much as 50 per cent of your total energy bill.

In NSW, the distribution networks are:

• Ausgrid: Inner, Northern, Eastern and Southern Sydney, Newcastle.
• Endeavour Energy: Western Sydney, Wollongong, Shoalhaven.
• Essential Energy: Regional NSW, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Wagga Wagga.

Unfortunately, you can’t change distribution zones without moving house, but knowledge of where the power is cheaper may sway serious savers when choosing their next home.

Most Satisfied Customers Award – NSW Provider

In 2024, Red Energy has dominated this award for the last 11 years, consecutively scoring top marks from New South Wales electricity customers.

Each year at Canstar Blue, we release an annual satisfaction rating for electricity providers in New South Wales. In this report, providers are ranked based on value for money, customer service, bill & cost clarity, ease of sign-up, focus on environmental sustainability, online tools and advice and overall satisfaction. 

Outstanding Value Award – NSW Provider

In 2024, Powershop was awarded for Outstanding Value in New South Wales after being one of the most competitively priced retailers across all three of NSW’s distribution networks.

Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value Awards are based on our unique value rank methodology and highlight the electricity providers that offer superior prices, value and features for consumers in each eligible state or territory.

Learn more about electricity in New South Wales

Why compare NSW electricity plans with Canstar Blue?

About our energy experts

Tara Donnelly, Utilities Editor

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology. She has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, and has authored over 500 Canstar Blue articles. Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC , The Australian Financial Review, 4BC Radio and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Tara has been nominated for multiple awards for her technology reporting, including Canstar Blue’s highly commended recognition for Best Consumer Technology Coverage in 2024. She has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra and is passionate about simplifying complex subjects so consumers aren’t just informed, they’re connected and confident. You can read more of Tara’s published articles and follow Tara on LinkedIn.

Breanna Gream, Data Insights Team Lead

Bachelor of Business (Finance) with Distinction & Bachelor of Mathematics (Applied Computational Modelling) with Distinction, QUT

Breanna Gream is Canstar’s Data Insights Team Lead, responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar Blue’s Value Ranking and determining Outstanding Value award winners for the energy and telecommunications sectors. Breanna completed a double Bachelor’s degree in Business, majoring in Finance, and Mathematics, majoring in Applied Computational Modelling, at the Queensland University of Technology.

Breanna enjoys using her skills to help consumers find more suitable utilities plans by transforming complex calculations into a Value Rank that provides a simpler way to compare different products. She most recently developed Value Ranking methodologies for wireless broadband plans and solar energy plans, to make it easier for households to identify plans that provide good value not just in terms of prices but also the features they offer. Breanna’s work on Value Ranking plays a key part in determining the winners of Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value awards for electricity, gas, solar, phone and internet brands.

Many of the articles published by Canstar Blue feature calculations also undertaken by Breanna and her team, which converts pricing data into easy-to-understand cost forecasts and average price information for readers.

During her time at Canstar Blue, Breanna has developed an in-depth knowledge of product, market and regulatory changes across the electricity, solar, gas, internet and phone sectors, and particularly likes keeping Canstar Blue’s methodologies up to date and reflective of the ever-changing utilities environment. 

When Breanna’s not crunching data, she’s likely to be somewhere remote – two of her favourite things to do are hiking and mountain climbing.