Why South Australia pays the most
South Australia has the highest regulated electricity usage rate in the country. The 2026-27 Default Market Offer reference price on the SA Power Networks grid is 41.91c/kWh, more than 8c above Sydney and almost 14c above Brisbane. On 4,000 kWh a year that gap is worth about $401 compared with an Ausgrid household.
It is also the only DMO region where prices went up this year. The AER lowered the cap in NSW and South East Queensland but raised it 1.4% in South Australia, to $2,334 a year for a household using 4,000 kWh.
Unlike NSW or Queensland, the whole state sits on one distribution network, so every household from Mount Gambier to Ceduna starts from the same reference price. What differs is the plan you are on.
South Australian electricity rates for 2026-27
| Network | Usage | Supply | DMO annual cap | At 4,000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA Power NetworksAll of South Australia | 41.91c/kWh | $1.80/day | $2,334 at 4,000 kWh | $2,334/yr |
The supply charge of $1.80 a day adds about $657 a year before any usage. Because the usage rate is so high, SA is the state where cutting kWh, through solar, efficient appliances or simply shifting usage, saves the most money per unit.
Use the DMO as your ceiling
Every retailer has to show how far its offers sit above or below the $2,334 reference price. In a state with prices this high, a plan that sits well below it is worth hundreds of dollars a year.
Time-of-use tariffs in SA
South Australia has one of the highest rates of rooftop solar in the world. On sunny days solar can supply most of the state's demand around midday, which pushes daytime wholesale prices very low. Many SA time-of-use plans reflect that, with cheaper midday rates and expensive evenings.
If your house is empty during the day and busy from 5pm, a flat rate may suit you better. If you work from home, have a pool, or charge an EV, look hard at plans with a cheap daytime window. Our time-of-use guide shows how to check which side of the line you are on.
Solar feed-in tariffs
SA has no regulated minimum feed-in tariff. Each retailer sets its own rate, and as midday exports have become less valuable, many retailers pay little for them. Batteries have become more attractive as a result, because storing your own solar and using it at night avoids buying power at 41.91c.
South Australian energy concessions
- Cheaper Home Batteries Program: About 30% off the first 14kWh. Homes and small businesses installing a battery with solar. Official details
- SA Energy Bill Concession: Up to $291.27 a year. Pensioners and eligible low-income households. Official details
- Electricity concessions in every state and how to claim
SA also pays a Medical Heating and Cooling Concession of up to $291.27 a year for households where someone needs to run heating or cooling for a medical condition.
Electricity rates by city in SA
Each city page shows the network price, the cheapest plans, typical bills for the local climate zone, solar output for the postcode and who to call in an outage.
Questions about SA electricity rates
The Default Market Offer reference price on the SA Power Networks grid is 41.91c/kWh plus a supply charge of $1.80 a day, including GST. The AER caps a standing offer at $2,334 a year for a household using 4,000 kWh. Market offers are often cheaper, and every offer must show how it compares to that reference price.
SA has a small, spread-out population, a single long distribution network and fewer large generators competing in its part of the market than the eastern states. Those costs show up in a high usage rate. The AER raised the 2026-27 cap by 1.4% while cutting it everywhere else, which kept SA at the top of the table.
The regulated cap did, by 1.4%, making SA the only DMO region where residential prices rose for 2026-27. Your own bill depends on your retailer and plan. Retailers had to send a price change notice before 1 July, so check it to see what changed for you.
Under the Solar Sharer Offer it runs from 12pm to 3pm, an hour later than in NSW and South East Queensland. You can use up to 24 kWh free each day if you have a smart meter and opt in with a retailer that offers the plan. The supply charge still applies, and other rates on these plans can be higher.
No. South Australia has no regulated minimum, so each retailer sets its own feed-in rate. Because midday exports are now worth little on the wholesale market, many plans pay only a few cents. With usage costing 41.91c/kWh on the reference price, using your own solar is worth far more than exporting it.
The Energy Bill Concession pays up to $291.27 a year for 2026-27 to pensioners and eligible low-income households, credited daily on your bill. There is also a Medical Heating and Cooling Concession of up to $291.27 a year. Apply through the SA Government concessions site or ask your retailer.
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.