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Who is my electricity supplier?

Electricity can be an enigma wrapped inside a riddle – it’s truly a tale as old as time – but before you go diving into the world of usage and supply rates and energy discounts, you need to know which power supplier you’re dealing with in the first place.

The good news is, this information is generally readily available, and here at Canstar Blue, we’re here to help you find it.

What is an electricity supplier?

Struggling with energy bills

In the context of this article, an electricity supplier is the company that bills you for using power and being connected to the energy grid. Otherwise referred to as a ‘utility provider’, ‘energy retailer’ or ‘power company’, electricity suppliers are responsible for billing customers, usually on a monthly or quarterly basis.

There are more than 30 electricity suppliers operating across Australia in areas that have a deregulated energy market. This means in most states (and territories) or regions of a state, are open to private companies to enter and sell electricity to households and businesses.

How to find your electricity supplier

Here are three simple ways to work out which electricity supplier is powering your property:

1. Check your last energy bill

We get it. From your misso’s mum’s birthday to why you went to the kitchen just then, it can be hard to remember the ‘important’ things in life. The good thing is that, if you’ve simply forgotten who your electricity supplier is, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find out. Check your emails or that drawer you keep loose papers in (we know you have one) for a recent bill. Right on the top you’ll be able to see which provider you’re with.

In the case below, it’s AGL. Congrats, you’re an AGL customer.

2. Talk to the last person to take care of the bill

If the responsibility of paying the electricity bill has just been passed onto you like a dusty family heirloom, you’ll need to pipe up and ask the last person to take care of it to fill you in on what you need to know. Ask for more than just the name of the energy provider, you’ll also need to get the bill transferred into your name – which means updating bank details and inputting your email address.

And in a situation where you’ve just moved into a new house and are unsure about your energy situation as a whole, it’s worth getting in touch with your landlord, or real estate agent, who can clue you in on what you need to do.

3. Call your electricity distribution network

If you’ve found yourself in a real pickle where you can’t find an old bill and have no contact with previous bill-payers, there are still things you can do to find out which provider is registered to your address. What you might not realise is that you’re actually supplied electricity through a location-based distribution network, not whichever retailer you choose. That’s just a logo on the bill.

By picking up the phone and giving your relevant electricity distributor a ring, you’ll be able to find info as to what energy supplier is sending bills to your address. Below are the general enquiries numbers of the networks within competitive energy markets in Australia, and information to help you figure out what number you should call based on your location.

Distribution Network Location Contact number

Queensland

Energex Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & surrounds 13 12 53
Ergon Energy Country and regional QLD 13 10 46

New South Wales

Endeavour Energy Southern/western metropolitan Sydney and surrounds 13 37 18
Essential Energy Country & regional NSW, southern regional QLD 13 23 91
Ausgrid Inner, northern & eastern metropolitan Sydney and surrounds 13 13 65

South Australia

SA Power Networks All of South Australia 13 12 61

Australian Capital Territory

EvoEnergy Most of the ACT 13 23 86
Essential Energy A small portion of the ACT, plus Queanbeyan area 13 23 91

Victoria

Citipower Melbourne City and inner suburbs 1300 301 101
Jemena Northern and south-western suburbs 1300 131 871
Powercor Australia Western suburbs and western Victoria 13 22 06
Ausnet Services Outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria 1300 360 795
United Energy Southern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula 1300 131 689

Tasmania

TasNetworks All of Tasmania 1300 137 008

Current as of April 2022.

If you live in Western Australia or the Northern Territory, where the local electricity markets are non-competitive, the need to make contact with your energy supplier is reduced slightly because power prices are regulated, meaning you don’t have a choice of retailer, and you won’t need to worry so much about paying more than you’ll need to. However, it’s still important to get in touch to make sure the account is in your name, your billing details are accurate, and you may even be able to benefit from a different electricity tariff that better suits your energy consumption habits.

Why should I care about who my supplier is?

Unlike us at Canstar Blue, you’re probably not living and breathing electricity – and we don’t expect you to be. A brand name might not mean much to you, but how much you have to pay when your electricity bill rolls around might. If you’re not sure what energy supplier you’re with, there’s a good chance you’re not on a competitive plan and could be paying much more than you need to. If you’re interested in finding out if you could be saving on your power bill, check out the deals below and see how your provider/plan stacks up against others in your area.

Compare Energy Providers

Hang on, aren’t the companies that bill me for using energy called suppliers, not providers? Well, basically they’re the same thing, and this also applies to the term ‘energy retailers’. Below are some of the cheapest electricity deals offered by energy suppliers. Click on your state to see prices.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. 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 3911kWh/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.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. 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.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. 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 4613kWh/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.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4011kWh/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.

Image credits: Jacker1991/shutterstock.com, CandyBox Images/shutterstock.com

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