Aussie Home Electricity Supply Information
- GAS - Natural & LPG Gas.
- WATER - Town & Rainwater.
Residential Electricity Supply Information
 Electricity is supplied to the majority of Australian homes at a voltage of 240 volts, which can vary at times due to network loading or geographical location. Electricity is charged at a usage rate of 1000 watts per hour, known as 1 kilo watt per hour and abbreviated as 1 kWh on the electricity bill.
Watts are often termed as the 'power' an appliance uses. The watt rating being stated on most Australian appliances in the home. On a front loading washing machine for example, you may see 2200W. This would be the power used where the machine heats it's water. See the illustration.
A typical electricity provider's charge for 1 kWh of electricity, is 28.85 cents after GST [NSW Country Energy July 2011].
 Australian households have a varied choice of electricity suppliers. In Australia the average household electricity use is approximately 18 kWhs of electricity per day. Visit ELECTRICITY SUPPLIERS to learn more about distributors and retailers electricity offers, listed by State.
The electricity you are billed for, is either based on a 'on & off peak' tariff, or a 'Time Of Use' [TOU] tariff. Sometimes a mixture of the two, see TIME OF USE TARIFF for more detailed information.
Aussie Home Electricity Tariffs
Residential On-Peak / Off-Peak Tariff
Electricity can be priced at different levels, based on the demand for electricity at particular times of the day. For example electricity is often cheaper at night, when there is less demand. This is known as off-peak electricity. What is often connected to this cheaper electricity in a home, is the hot water system, or a booster element for a Solar Hot Water system.
What is commonly not known by Aussie householders, is that any suitable appliance can be connect to the cheaper off-peak rate. The appliance has to be hard wired, to the off-peak meter. Suitable appliances for example are a pool pump. When the pump is connected to on-peak, it may be costing $180 per bill. This can now be reduced by almost 50%, by connecting it to the off-peak! Note the pool pump would only come on during the off-peak periods. A further option, is to have it wired so you have the ability to use it during on-peak times, when needed. Talk to your electricity supplier about your off-peak options and your electrician about the wiring.
 During high demand times, electricity is charged at a higher rate, known as on-peak.
Homes connected to on-peak / off-peak tariffs, will often have two mechanical looking meters in the electricity power box. One meter for each tariff.
With the on / off peak tariff, you do not have many options to reduce electricity costs, other than by adding appliances to the off-peak or reducing on-peak electricity usage. It is this reduction in electricity usage, where householders make the most savings. See our MONITORS page to start your home electricity reduction today.
Below is an example of Country Energy's explanation / terms of residential tariffs and prices post July 1st 2011.
Residential Controlled Load 1: Supply will be made available where another primary metering point is present, this load is remotely controlled. Applicable to loads such as water heating, swimming pools, heat pumps etc. Loads must be permanently connected. Supply will be made available for 5 to 9 hours overnight on weekdays and extra hours on weekends except where the load is controlled by a time clock. Note: This tariff is not at available for the top boost element of a two element water heater for new connections.
Residential Controlled Load 2: Supply will be made available where another primary metering point is present, this load is remotely controlled. Applicable to loads such as water heating, swimming pool operation, heat pumps etc. Loads must be permanently connected. Supply will be made available for 10 to 18 hours per day on weekdays and extra hours on weekends except where the load is controlled by a time clock.
Charges for Country Energy's on-peak / off-peak tariff [July 2011] are as follows:
Residential Peak : 28.85 cents per kWh
Daily Supply Charge : 107.80 cents Residential Off-Peak Load 1 : 11.00 cents per kWh
Daily Supply Charge : 9.12 cents Residential Off-Peak Load 2 : 16.55 cents per kWh
Daily Supply Charge : 10.81 cents
If you're on the on / off peak tariff, you will see two meter readings on your bill. The off-peak reading [in most cases the hot water] will be noted as 'controlled load 1 or 2.
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 Residential Time of Use (TOU) Tariff
If you're not sure whether you're on a TOU tariff, look inside your meter box and see if your meter has a TOU sticker. Most TOU meters are modern with a digital display like the one here illustrated.
If you're switching to a TOU meter, there may be an additional usage charge from your electricity provider. Where a new TOU meter is installed for TOU metering, you may have to further pay an installation fee.
You may have to switch to TOU when you're considering a Solar PV installation. See our GUIDES page for more information on this.
How TOU tariffs differ from the older on-peak / off-peak tariffs, is that with TOU your WHOLE household's electricity use, is charged at these different tariffs. All costs dependent on the time of day you use the electricity.
Therefore to control your spend you need to understand the tariff inside & out. You will need to know three things:
What the different rates are. At what times are they are in effect. How much electricity are you using at any particular time.
The TOU tariff often has an extra time period, known as 'shoulder' . This is simply the time of day either side of the on-peak time. It may or may not be charged at a different rate to the on-peak.
An example of the TOU tariff is as follows [Prices quoted include GST] :
- Residential Peak : 7:00 - 9:00 | 17:00 - 20:00 Weekdays : 31.07 cents per kWh.
- Residential Shoulder : 9:00 - 17:00 | 20:00 - 22:00 Weekdays : 31.07 cents per kWh.
- Residential Off-Peak : 22:00 - 7:00 Weekdays | Weekends : 15.55 cents per kWh
- Daily supply charge : 139.22 cents per day
Get our FREE TOU EXPLANATION one page summary from our GUIDES page. Easily printable making it a great fridge door note to keep you on track, in understanding your electricity costs!
 As we've mentioned, knowing the electricity rates you're charged for at different times of the day is one thing, for home electricity reduction to occur, you will need to find out how much electricity your appliances are using at any particular time of the day. And this is where our SERVICES & PRODUCTS can assist you with starting your HOME ELECTRICITY REDUCTION PROGRAM. Our MONITORS will track your electricity usage.
As all Australian States & electricity providers have their own differences, it is possible to see TOU metering, with the option of off-peak connections to various appliances, such as your hot water. A call to your electricity provider is the best way to clarify your metering options.
Any off-peak appliance is normally highlighted on the bill via the term 'controlled load'. If not, then this means the hot water has a timer installed, where only switches ON during the off-peak times of the day.
There are advantages and disadvantages of TOU metering. For some households it can reduce the bill, for others raise it. It really depends on when you use electricity and how much! Example: For a household that has a lot of power hungry appliances operating after 22:00, before 7.00 and at weekends, considerable savings could be made. As long as the TOU tariff rate for the high demand times [on-peak & shoulder] is not to great a increase in cost.
For the householder with no idea of electricity billing and with a high electricity usage in the shoulder & on-peak times of the day, the electricity bill can be raised dramatically!
 Many of clients first call our office for help, by using our FREE ADVICE FRIDAY service. Where electricity supply & metering issues are discussed, before contacting the electricity provider or STATE ELECTRICITY OMBUDSMAN.
Aussie Home Electricity Bill
We always discuss the electricity bill with our clients, educating them on how too understand the charges and the bill's makeup. Electricity costs are of a major concern for many clients. Aussie Home Energy is more concerned the average householder in Australia, does not fully understand electricity charges and the electricity bill.
BILL PAYERS DO NOT LEARN HOW TO SAVE ELECTRICITY!
Some common reasons for householders not understanding the electricity bill are:
- It's never been explained to them.
- It's too complex to understand when attempted.
- There's NO NEED to understand it from the householder's point of view, where costs in the past have not increased for years!
Where we say 'too complex', we mean it is not written for the average Aussie householder to clearly understand. A detailed list of charges, that only the electricity provider can understand. Yes we added the simple explanations.
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIERS LOVE BILL PAYERS!
AWARENESS & EDUCATION ARE THE KEY TO MOVING ON!
SHARP ELECTRICITY RISES FORECAST!
 As you may have heard, Australia's domestic energy bills are on the rise!
2011 - 2013 Forecast 60% [Recent July 2011 18%] 28% Still To Go! 2013 - 2014 Planned 33%. Inflation every year will add 3% - 5% Coal contracts per ton have recently increased by 500%. Carbon tax could be $25 per ton. NSW households will further be billed $12 for the blowout of the recent Gross Feed applications.
According to IPART's [Independent Pricing & Regulatory Tribunal] review of regulated retail tariffs & charges for electricity during the period 2010-2013 we can expect the following electricity price increases. Quote:
"Electricity prices will increase substantially as a result of this decision. Prices will increase by between 20% (for Integral Energy) and 42% (for Country Energy) if the Commonwealth Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) is not introduced. If the CPRS is introduced from 2011/12 as planned, the price increases over the next 3 years will total 46% to 64%.
The main reasons for these increases are higher network prices which have recently been determined by the Australian Energy Regulator and the proposed introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme."
Based on the average households daily usage [18 kWh to 20 kWh], where annual usage is 7000 kWh a year, Aussie homes can expect to pay during 2011/12 around:
Energy Australia $1513 Integral Energy $1619 Country Energy $2063
Visit LINKS page to learn more about IPART's review.
Small Electricity Price Increases Make A Big Difference!
Are you aware of the effects of small increases in electricity charges and your diminishing profit from your gross feed solar pv system? You should be! Learn more here about REDUCED SOLAR PV GROSS FEED GAIN
What in the compounded effect of ONLY a 5% increase in electricity costs over 25 years? See our 5% ELECTRICITY RISE REPORT
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