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Residential tariffs

Confused about electricity tariffs? Considering changing tariffs? Have you recently moved to, or will soon be moved to, a demand or time of use (TOU) based tariff?

The information below will help explain how electricity tariffs are developed, how and why tariffs are changing, and what it means for you.

The electricity industry components

To understand about how electricity tariffs are developed, and prices set, it’s important to understand the key components of the electricity industry. The electricity industry is made up of four main types of organisations, all with important roles:

  1. Electricity generators – where power is produced (including large and small generators, fossil fuel and renewable sources like solar and wind)
  2. Electricity transmission network – the high voltage power lines that bring power from the electricity generators to the local distribution network
  3. Distribution network operators – the local electricity networks
  4. Electricity retailers – those that sell power to you and provide your power bill.

Your electricity bill components

As a residential consumer, you will have an electricity account from an electricity retailer, who sends you an electricity bill based on your consumption of electricity under the tariff. For most residential customers, electricity bills are made up of three main components:

  • Network charges – these are the charges we provide to your electricity retailer to cover the cost of building, maintaining and operating the poles and wires and other infrastructure to safely supply your homes and business. We typically charge your retailer both a fixed fee and a consumption fee that may change depending on when/how you choose to use our electricity network. On your bill, the fixed fee may be shown separately as “supply charge” or “service charge” – these charges are normally a fixed rate per day. The network consumption-based fees are typically included with other consumption based retail fees, into a single consumption charge, per kilowatt hour (kWh), and per kilowatt (kW) if you are on a demand-based tariff.
  • Retail charges – these are the costs associated with purchasing electricity from electricity generators and other related costs of having an electricity account. These are consumption-based charges1 with the more electricity you use, the more you pay, based on the structure of your retail tariff.
  • Metering charges – these are the costs associated supplying and maintaining the necessary metering hardware in your premises. Some retailers have this as a separate line item on your bill, others incorporate metering costs in your retail charges.

We are required by the Australian Energy Regulator to review our network tariffs every five years and update the prices of those network tariffs every 12 months. We pass our distribution network costs on to your electricity retailer in the form of network tariffs, which make up a portion of your electricity tariff that is set by your electricity retailer. The role of the electricity retailer is to incorporate our network tariffs into the retail tariffs they offer to you.

There are changes happening to how electricity is being charged by electricity networks and electricity retailers. To help you manage your home’s energy costs, it's important to understand the features of the various tariff options. You should also ask your electricity retailer which tariffs are available to you, and see if they can help to use your energy usage profile to estimate the best tariff option for your home.

Read on to learn more about the key features of the residential network tariffs.

Residential network tariffs are changing

The way that network tariffs are structured is changing. In the past, most tariffs featured a fixed daily charge plus a variable cost based on how many kWh of electricity was consumed during the billing period, regardless of what time of day the consumption took place.

As there are times when our electricity network is used more heavily (peak times) and times when its underutilised and/or where there is a large amount of excess solar energy being fed into grid from rooftop solar (off-peak times), this approach to charging doesn’t reflect the cost of generating or supplying electricity.

New time variable demand and consumption tariffs

To help better manage our electricity network and avoid the need to build more network capacity for peak times, tariffs that encourage you to use less power in peak times, and more power in off-peak times have been developed.

Here's a general description of these new time of use (TOU) tariffs, applicable from 1 July 2025:

  • TOU energy tariffs (Default tariff) – as the name suggests, these tariffs have charges based on when electricity is used throughout the day, with higher rates for peak times and lower rates for off-peak and shoulder times. For example, TOU periods for electricity consumption could include a peak period (4pm – 9pm), a daytime off-peak period (11am – 4pm) and shoulder period (9pm – 11am).
  • TOU demand and energy tariffs (Optional tariff) – these tariffs feature two types of variable elements:
    • Demand charge which is based on the amount of electricity demand (measured in kW) placed on our electricity network. The demand charge is usually the single highest demand that occurred during the peak demand charging ‘window’ (for example 4pm – 9pm weekdays and weekends); and
    • Consumption charges which are based on the amount of electricity consumed (measured in kWh). Electricity consumption is charged at different rates when electricity is consumed throughout the day. (for example an evening peak period (4pm – 9pm), a daytime off-peak period (11am – 4pm) and a shoulder period (9pm – 11am).

  • Electricity demand considers the rate of electricity consumption in a particular time period, usually measured in 30-minute intervals. Whereas electricity consumption is simply the total amount of electricity used. A good analogy to understand the difference between consumption and demand is taking a trip in your car. The total distance you travelled (km) would be the consumption (kWh); the highest speed (km/h) at which you travelled is equivalent to demand (kW).
  • Thinking about this more, think about the example of two households – they both consume say 24 kWh of electricity per day. Household 1 uses a constant amount of electricity throughout the whole day. However, household 2 only uses a small amount of electricity during most of the day, but in the evening (4pm – 9pm) turns on a number of appliances and therefore uses a lot of their total 24kWhs consumption in that shorter period. Because household 2 uses a lot of electricity during that 4pm – 9pm period, that will mean that household 2 will have a high maximum demand recorded on that day.

  • Your meter calculates electricity demand as an average across a 30-minute interval, not the single highest instantaneous demand during those 30 minutes. A simple way to calculate demand over a 30-minute period is to multiply the kWh consumption by two. For example, if all your appliances in your home used say 1.5kWh in 30-minute period, the demand would be calculated as 2 X 1.5kWh = 3kW.

You can view our animations below to find out more about TOU energy and TOU demand tariffs.

Primary and secondary tariffs

To understand what these new tariffs might mean for you, there are a few other things to understand about electricity tariffs, like primary tariff and secondary tariffs:

  • Primary tariff - all households have a primary tariff, this is the main tariff for your home appliances. The TOU consumption tariffs and demand tariffs mentioned above are example of primary tariffs, as is the flat rate tariff (sometimes referred to as Tariff 11, but electricity retailers often refer to them by different names)
  • Secondary tariff - an optional extra tariff that households can choose to have certain appliances* like pool pumps, hot water systems and air conditioners connected to. Secondary tariffs are sometimes referred to as economy tariffs or load controlled tariffs, because the economy or load control tariffs are cheaper than primary tariffs. Common names for these tariffs are Tariff 33, Tariff 31, Controlled Load 1, or Controlled Load 2.

    * The power supply to those appliances can be interrupted for up to 8 hours per day or 18 hours per day (depending on the tariff) meaning we can turn off power to those appliances to help reduce load on our electricity network.

    Talk to your electricity retailer if you would like to learn more about these tariffs.

What does this all mean for me as a residential customer?

If you are on a standard flat rate electricity tariff now, and your meter is being changed to or is already a smart meter, some electricity retailers will offer you the option at some point to move to one of the new types of electricity tariffs.

Following feedback from customers and other stakeholders, new requirements were introduced in late 2024 that require retailers to obtain explicit informed consent from customers, before they can change their tariff, during the first two years after a smart meter has been installed.

In addition, when advising customers of a proposed tariff change (before or after the two years), retailers are required to offer customers a flat rate tariff, and to advise customers that other TOU options are available that could provide savings if they are able to move electricity usage away from peak periods.

These regulations mean that all residential customers, regardless of the type of meter they have installed, have the option to be on a flat rate tariff or a TOU tariff to suit their circumstances.

To be clear – electricity retailers will continue to offer flat rate tariffs for their customers, regardless of the type of meter installed, and some retailers may choose to also offer TOU of use tariffs.

A tariff change, if it happens, would generally apply to your primary tariff only – all homes have a primary tariff, which is the main tariff used for most of your light and power circuits. If you have a secondary tariff (the tariff that may have things like hot water systems and pool pumps connected) you should be able to keep this tariff when moving to a new primary tariff (but check with your electricity retailer if they offer a secondary tariff with your primary tariff).

When might my electricity retailer move me to the new tariffs?

Installation of a smart meter is the essential trigger for when your tariff options increase beyond a flat rate. This can happen:

  1. when a new solar power system is installed,
  2. when the existing electricity meter requires replacement (due to failure), or
  3. when building a new home.

Older style meters that do not have this capability are referred to as ‘basic Type 6 meters’. Visit the Queensland Government's Digital meters website for more information about the requirements for electricity metering in Queensland.

smart meter is a digital meter that has remote communications capability.

Unlike the older style meters that were often read only once every three months and provided a single figure for total electricity usage, smart meters measure electricity in very small intervals (usually every 30 minutes, sometimes every five minutes). And unlike older style meters, smart meters are read remotely each night.

This meter data is not only useful in offering tariff alternatives to customers, but it can provide useful insights into how you are using electricity throughout the day, and the amount of solar exported to the grid and used on-site.

Under the network tariff rules approved by the Australian Energy Regulator, when a residential premises has a smart meter installed, the network tariff applied to that premises can no longer be the flat rate tariff (see table below). It is not possible for the network tariff to be changed back to the flat rate tariff.

Network tariffs are paid by your electricity retailer and then passed on to you via their retail tariffs on your power bill - it is up to your retailer which retail tariffs they offer to their customers.

Tips to save on your power bills

Visit our Managing your power bill web page to read more about:

  • how to access your previous electricity consumption history
  • whether a demand or TOU tariff might be best suited to you
  • and how you can adjust to either of these tariff types to save on your bill.

If you move to a TOU energy or TOU demand tariff, we’ve compiled some tips and hints to help you understand the ways to manage your electricity use in your home, to help you save on your power bills.

What are the residential network tariff options?

Customers are billed based on their retail tariffs and so you should always check with your retailer regarding their tariff options

We are required to publish full details on the residential and business tariffs in our network pricing guide and below is a high level summary of our residential network tariffs.

New tariffs from 1 July 2025

The below charges are valid from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 (prices are exclusive of GST).

Primary tariffs

Network tariff Charge typeCharges
(ex GST)
How charge appliesEligibility
Residential Flat (NTC8400)  Fixed $0.815 / day Daily supply charge Only for customers with an older style basic meter - not a 'smart meter'
Consumption (kWh) $0.08918 / kWh Applied to all consumption
Residential TOU Demand & Energy (NTC3900)2 Fixed $0.444 / day Daily supply charge Customer must have a smart meter
Shoulder consumption $0.04868 / kWh For electricity consumption between the hours of midnight to 11am, and 9pm to midnight daily
Off-peak consumption $0.00476 / kWh For electricity consumption between the hours of 11am to 4pm daily
Peak consumption $0.02367 / kWh For electricity consumption between the hours of 4pm to 9pm daily
Peak demand$7.00 / kW*Monthly charge based on highest half hourly demand between 4pm to 9pm weekdays and weekends*
Residential TOU Energy (NTC6900)Fixed$0.639 / dayDaily supply chargeCustomer must have a smart meter
Shoulder consumption$0.04868 / kWhFor electricity consumption between the hours of midnight to 11am, and 9pm to midnight daily
Off-peak consumption$0.00476 / kWhFor electricity consumption between the hours of 11am to 4pm daily
Peak consumption$0.19367 / kWhFor electricity consumption between the hours of 4pm to 9pm daily

*Please note: Some retailers convert the monthly demand charge to a daily demand $ / kW / day by dividing the monthly cost by the average number days in each month.

Secondary tariffs

Network tariffCharge typeCharges
(ex GST)
How charge appliesEligibility
Economy
(NTC9100)
Consumption (kWh)$0.025 / kWhApplied to all consumptionMust be used in conjunction with one of the above primary tariffs, and have a
basic or smart meter
Super Economy (TNC9000)Consumption (kWh)$0.025 / kWhApplied to all consumption

What is the Default Market Offer?

To help you compare electricity plans and find the best option for your household, the Australian Energy Regulator introduced a reference price known as the Default Market Offer (DMO).

The DMO is the maximum total annual bill that a customer on a standing offer3 should receive, if they use the average amount of electricity for their area (in South East Queensland, it’s 4,600kWh per year for premises with a single tariff; or for premises that also have a secondary or controlled load tariff (sometimes referred to as an economy tariff), 4,400kWh on the primary tariff plus 1,900kWh on the controlled load tariff).

The DMO is not a specific price that retailers charge per kWh – it’s what your total bill would be on that tariff (when consuming according to the figures stated above) and includes both the consumption charges (per kWh) and the daily/fixed charges.

Because the DMO is an average annual energy consumption figure, it’s relevance for your household may change if your consumption is a lot higher or a lot lower than the average consumption. Therefore, it’s worth checking with your electricity retailer if they can provide you with a personalised tariff comparison, using your actual energy consumption history.

The ACCC Electricity prices and plans web page has some useful information about how the DMO works - and how you can use it to compare energy plans.

Need more information on which network tariff is best for you?

We hope the above information has explained how network tariffs work and you now have a better idea of your tariff options to be able to discuss with your electricity retailer.

We understand that many consumers can find tariffs complicated – if you have more questions, you can email us at residentialtariffs@energyq.com.au and we’ll do our best to help you (feel free to include your National Metering Identifier which is found on your power bill, and your phone number if you'd like us to call you to discuss your issue). But remember that as retail electricity tariffs vary across retailers, they are the best placed to assist you with any personalised tariff advice for your premises.

For more tariff information, visit our Pricing & tariffs web page.

Footnotes

  1. At applicable variable rates
  2. This tariff was previously known as the Residential Transitional Demand tariff
  3. A ‘standing offer’ is given to you by default if you don’t choose an offer or negotiate a plan with your electricity retailer. For example, if you choose a plan which expires after a year, you may then rollover onto a standing offer until you choose a new plan.