What controlled load is
A controlled load circuit is wired separately from the rest of your home and has its own meter register. The network switches it on and off remotely or on a timer, so it draws power only when demand on the grid is low. Electric storage hot water is the classic example, because a well-insulated tank keeps water hot for hours after heating stops. Some homes also have underfloor or slab heating, or a pool pump, on a controlled load circuit.
Because the network chooses the hours, it can offer a cheaper price. Your general power, lights and appliances stay on your normal tariff.
Controlled load tariffs by network
| Network | Tariff | Supply hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid, NSW | Controlled load 1 | At least 6 hours a day |
| Ausgrid, NSW | Controlled load 2 | At least 16 hours a day |
| Energex, Queensland | Tariff 31 | At least 8 hours a day, usually overnight |
| Energex, Queensland | Tariff 33 | At least 16 hours a day, usually outside 4pm to 9pm |
| Victoria, all networks | Off-peak or dedicated circuit | Set by the network, typically overnight |
The smaller-hours tariffs, such as Ausgrid controlled load 1 and Energex Tariff 31, are the cheapest but suit only a hot water tank large enough to last the day. The longer-hours tariffs cost a little more and suit smaller tanks or appliances that need power through the day.
Switching times are moving to the middle of the day
With rooftop solar now flooding the grid at midday, networks are moving controlled load switching into daylight hours. Ausgrid began shifting its controlled load times in July 2024, and SA Power Networks changed its controlled load windows from 1 July 2025. If your hot water now heats during the day, this is why.
What controlled load costs in Victoria
Victoria publishes a regulated controlled load price for each network as part of the Victorian Default Offer. It shows how much cheaper the circuit is than general usage.
| Network | Flat rate | Controlled load | Saving per 1,000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| AusNet Services | 31.98c | 22.11c | $99 |
| CitiPower | 25.96c | 16.59c | $94 |
| Jemena | 27.47c | 21.41c | $61 |
| Powercor | 28.22c | 17.26c | $110 |
| United Energy | 27.35c | 17.26c | $101 |
In other states, controlled load prices are set by each retailer and listed on the plan's fact sheet. You can price your own controlled load usage in our bill calculator, which has a separate field for it.
Do you have controlled load, and is it worth keeping?
Look at your bill
A second usage line with a lower rate, labelled controlled load, off-peak or with a code such as CL1, CL2, T31 or T33, means you have it.
Check your hot water
If you run out of hot water late in the day, the tank may be too small for the hours on your tariff. A longer-hours tariff can fix it without a new system.
Think before removing it
Moving hot water onto general usage can add hundreds of dollars a year. Removing a controlled load circuit also needs an electrician and your retailer.
Consider a heat pump
A heat pump hot water system uses far less power than an electric element and can still run on controlled load or with your solar. Check rates in your state and any rebates before you buy.
Questions about controlled load
A separate usage charge for an appliance, usually an electric hot water system, on its own circuit. The network turns that circuit on only at certain times of day, and in return you pay a lower rate for the power it uses.
In the Ausgrid area, controlled load 1 supplies power for at least 6 hours a day and is the cheaper of the two. Controlled load 2 supplies power for at least 16 hours a day at a higher rate, which suits smaller hot water tanks or appliances that need power for longer.
They are Energex controlled load tariffs in south-east Queensland. Tariff 31 supplies power for at least 8 hours a day, usually overnight, at the lowest rate. Tariff 33 supplies power for at least 16 hours a day, usually outside the 4pm to 9pm peak, at a slightly higher rate.
Yes. On Victoria's 2026-27 regulated prices the controlled load rate is between about 6c and 11c a kWh lower than the flat rate, depending on the network. In other states, retailers set their own controlled load prices, but they are almost always well below general usage rates.
Your tank may be too small for the hours your controlled load tariff provides, or the heating element or thermostat may be faulty. Moving to a longer-hours tariff, such as controlled load 2 or Tariff 33, often fixes the first problem.
Only appliances wired to the controlled load circuit by a licensed electrician, and only those your network allows. Hot water, pool pumps and slab heating are common. Ask an electrician and your retailer before making changes.
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.