How a South Australian electricity bill adds up
All of South Australia sits on one network, SA Power Networks, so every household starts from the same 2026-27 Default Market Offer reference price: 41.91c/kWh plus $1.80 a day. That is the highest regulated usage rate in the country, which the calculator loads by default.
| Usage1,000 kWh × 41.91c | $419.10 |
|---|---|
| Daily supply91 days × $1.8005 | $163.85 |
| Total for the quarter | $582.95 |
Because the usage rate is so high, every kWh matters more in SA than anywhere else. Cutting 100 kWh from a quarter saves about $42, against about $33 for the same cut in Sydney.
Getting the estimate to match your SA bill
- Time-of-use plans are common. SA network tariffs have a long peak and a cheap solar sponge period in the middle of the day. Retailers set their own prices, so use the "my own rates" option with a blended rate from your bill.
- Controlled load. Enter the kWh and rate from the controlled load line on your bill separately.
- Solar credits. SA has no minimum feed-in tariff, so enter the rate printed on your bill.
- Concession. The Energy Bill Concession of up to $291.27 a year is not taken off the estimate. On a 91-day bill it is worth about $73.
Ways to bring an SA bill down
Free power from 12pm to 3pm
Since 1 July 2026 retailers with more than 1,000 South Australian customers must offer the Solar Sharer Offer, with free power from 12pm to 3pm up to 24 kWh a day. At 41.91c/kWh, moving 5 kWh a day into that window is worth about $191 a quarter before any change to your other rates.
- Compare against the DMO. Every offer must say how far below the $2,334 reference price it sits.
- Use your own solar. With feed-in rates low and usage rates high, power you use yourself is worth far more than power you export.
- Watch the evening. Many SA time-of-use plans charge the most from late afternoon to midnight, so shifting dishwashing and EV charging to the middle of the day pays off.
Questions about SA electricity bills
On the 2026-27 reference price, 1,000 kWh over 91 days costs about $583, supply included. That is the most expensive of any regulated tariff in the country for the same usage. Market offers can be cheaper, and every one must show how it compares to the $2,334 annual reference price.
The 2026-27 Default Market Offer reference price for SA Power Networks: 41.91c/kWh plus $1.80 a day, including GST. It applies across the whole state. Switch to your own rates to match a market offer or time-of-use plan.
Because each kWh costs about 41.91c on the reference price, the highest in Australia. Saving 100 kWh in a quarter is worth about $42, roughly a quarter more than the same saving in Sydney. Efficient appliances, solar and shifting usage pay back faster here.
Indirectly. Reduce your usage by the kWh you expect to move into the free 12pm to 3pm window, then enter the plan rates in the "my own rates" option, because Solar Sharer plans can charge more outside the free period. Compare that against your current bill.
No. The concession is up to $291.27 a year in 2026-27, credited daily, which is about $73 on a 91-day bill. Take it off the total if you receive it.
No. Each retailer sets its own rate. Enter the feed-in rate printed on your bill in the solar section of the calculator for an accurate credit.
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.