How a Queensland electricity bill adds up
Queensland has two pricing systems, and the calculator handles both. Choose Energex if you live in South East Queensland, where the Default Market Offer caps standing offers. Choose Ergon Energy if you live in regional Queensland, where the Queensland Competition Authority sets the prices Ergon Retail charges.
| Usage1,000 kWh × 27.97c | $279.74 |
|---|---|
| Daily supply91 days × $1.9202 | $174.74 |
| Total for the quarter | $454.48 |
| Usage1,000 kWh × 28.89c | $288.95 |
|---|---|
| Daily supply91 days × $1.8051 | $164.26 |
| Total for the quarter | $453.21 |
The two land within a few dollars of each other: $454 in the south-east and $453 in the regions. That is by design. Under the Uniform Tariff Policy, the state government keeps regional prices close to the south-east and pays Ergon the difference.
Getting the estimate to match your Queensland bill
- Separate Tariff 31 and Tariff 33. These are controlled load lines for hot water or pool pumps. Enter their kWh and the rate from your bill in the controlled load section, not in general usage.
- Use your own rates on a market offer. Most South East Queensland households are on market offers below the DMO. Enter the usage rate and supply charge from your bill to match it.
- Time-of-use plans. In the south-east, retailers set their own peak and off-peak prices, so use a blended rate from your bill.
- Solar credits. Regional customers earn the QCA-set 6.006c/kWh. In the south-east, enter the rate on your bill.
The Queensland Electricity Rebate
Eligible card holders get $399.47 a year in 2026-27, credited daily. On a 91-day bill that is about $100. The estimate does not take it off, so subtract it yourself.
Ways to bring a Queensland bill down
- South East Queensland: compare offers against the DMO and look at the Solar Sharer Offer, which gives free power from 11am to 2pm.
- Regional Queensland: there is little retail competition, so focus on the tariff. Putting an electric hot water system on Tariff 31 or 33 usually saves more than changing retailer.
- Both: the Energex supply charge of $1.92 a day is one of the highest in the country, so low-usage homes should weigh the supply charge heavily when comparing plans.
Questions about Queensland electricity bills
On 2026-27 regulated prices, 1,000 kWh over 91 days costs about $454 on the Energex reference price and $453 on Ergon Tariff 11, supply included. Many South East Queensland households pay less on market offers. Pools, air conditioning and electric hot water push usage well above 1,000 kWh.
For Energex it uses the 2026-27 Default Market Offer reference price of 27.97c/kWh plus $1.92 a day. For Ergon it uses QCA Tariff 11 at about 28.89c/kWh plus $1.81 a day. Both include GST. You can also enter your own rates from your bill.
Open the controlled load and solar section, enter the kWh shown against Tariff 31 or 33 on your bill and the rate printed next to it. Keep that usage out of the main usage figure, because it is billed at its own cheaper rate.
Your bill names your distributor. Energex covers South East Queensland, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich. Ergon Energy covers the rest of the state, from Toowoomba to Cairns and west to Mount Isa.
No. The $1,000 Cost of Living Rebate applied to 2024-25 bills only. The ongoing Queensland Electricity Rebate is $399.47 a year in 2026-27 for eligible card holders, credited daily on your bill.
The Energex reference supply charge is $1.92 a day for 2026-27, about $700 a year, one of the highest daily charges in the country. Because it is paid whatever you use, low-usage homes in the south-east end up paying more per kWh overall than the 27.97c usage rate suggests.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.