How a Victorian electricity bill adds up
Victorian bills are priced against the Victorian Default Offer, which the Essential Services Commission sets separately for each of the five distribution networks. The calculator loads the 2026-27 VDO for your distributor, including its time-of-use and controlled load prices, so you can price almost any Victorian bill without typing in a single rate.
| Usage1,000 kWh × 25.96c | $259.60 |
|---|---|
| Daily supply91 days × $1.2114 | $110.24 |
| Total for the quarter | $369.84 |
| Distributor | Flat rate | Quarter |
|---|---|---|
| AusNet ServicesEastern Melbourne, Gippsland and north-east Victoria | 31.98c + $1.28/day | $437 |
| CitiPowerMelbourne CBD and inner suburbs | 25.96c + $1.21/day | $370 |
| JemenaNorth-west Melbourne | 27.47c + $1.27/day | $390 |
| PowercorWestern Melbourne and western Victoria | 28.22c + $1.38/day | $408 |
| United EnergySouth-east Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula | 27.35c + $1.19/day | $382 |
The same quarter costs $67 more on AusNet Services than on CitiPower, purely because of where the house is.
Pricing a Victorian time-of-use bill
Almost every Victorian home has a smart meter, and many are on time-of-use plans. On the VDO, peak runs from 4pm to 9pm, a cheaper solar soak period runs from 11am to 4pm and off-peak covers 9pm to 11am. Switch the calculator to time of use and set how much of your power falls in each period. The figures are printed on your bill as separate usage lines.
With 35% of usage in the peak and 20% in the solar soak, the blended rate on CitiPower works out to about 26.25c/kWh against a flat 25.96c. Push more usage into the middle of the day and time of use pulls further ahead. Push more into the evening and the flat rate wins.
Free midday power changes the maths
From 1 October 2026 retailers must offer the Midday Power Saver, with free power from 11am to 2pm up to 24 kWh a day. If you can run washing, dishwashing and EV charging in that window, it can beat both tariffs in the calculator.
Getting the estimate to match your Victorian bill
- Pick the right distributor. It is printed on your bill and changes every price.
- Enter controlled load separately. The VDO has a cheaper controlled load rate for a dedicated hot water circuit.
- Use your own rates if you are on a market offer. Victorian bills must show your retailer's best offer for you, which is worth comparing against the estimate.
- Add your solar credit. Victoria has no minimum feed-in tariff, so enter the rate printed on your bill.
Questions about Victoria electricity bills
On the 2026-27 Victorian Default Offer, 1,000 kWh over 91 days costs between about $370 with CitiPower and $437 with AusNet Services, supply included. The ESC puts the average VDO bill at $1,591 a year for 4,000 kWh. Market offers can be cheaper.
The 2026-27 Victorian Default Offer for the distributor you choose, set by the Essential Services Commission. That includes the flat rate, the three-period time-of-use rates and the controlled load rate, all including GST. You can also enter your own rates to match a market offer.
On the Victorian Default Offer, peak is 4pm to 9pm, the solar soak period is 11am to 4pm and off-peak is 9pm to 11am, every day. Retailers can set different times on market offers, so check the times printed on your own plan or bill.
It depends on when you use power. The solar soak rate is less than half the peak rate on every network. If most of your usage is outside 4pm to 9pm, time of use usually wins. If you cook, heat and wash mostly in the evening, the flat rate can be cheaper. Enter your own split in the calculator to see.
No. The estimate is before concessions. The Annual Electricity Concession takes 17.5% off usage and supply charges for eligible card holders, so take that off the total if you receive it.
It is printed on your electricity bill, usually near the faults and emergencies number. CitiPower covers the inner city, Jemena the north-west, United Energy the south-east, Powercor the west and AusNet Services the east and north-east.
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.