Retailer or network: who does what
| Your retailer | Your network |
|---|---|
| Bills, payments and prices | Blackouts and faults |
| Plans, discounts and feed-in tariffs | Poles, wires and street connections |
| Concessions and hardship help | New connections and upgrades |
| Moving in and out | Planned outages for maintenance |
You choose your retailer. You cannot choose your network, which is set by where you live. Our rates by state page lists every network.
Retailers in each state
| Area | Choice | Who supplies homes |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Full competition | Many retailers, from the three largest to small online-only brands |
| Victoria | Full competition | Many retailers, with the Victorian Default Offer as the regulated fallback |
| South-east Queensland | Full competition | Many retailers in the Energex area |
| Regional Queensland | Little or none | Ergon Energy Queensland at state-set prices |
| South Australia | Full competition | Many retailers |
| ACT | Competition | ActewAGL is the largest, with a smaller number of competitors |
| Tasmania | Open but limited | Aurora Energy supplies most homes |
| Western Australia | None for households | Synergy in the south-west, Horizon Power in regional WA |
| Northern Territory | Very limited | Jacana Energy supplies most homes |
Where there is no competition, the state sets the price. Synergy, Horizon Power, Aurora Energy, Jacana Energy and Ergon Energy Queensland are all government owned.
Big retailers and small retailers
The three largest retailers also own power stations, which lets them balance wholesale price swings. Smaller retailers buy more of their power on the wholesale market or through contracts. Some compete on price, some on service and some on green credentials or wholesale-linked plans.
Size alone does not tell you who is cheapest. Prices vary more between plans than between brands, so compare individual plans on a government comparison site rather than picking a company.
When a retailer goes under
If a retailer fails, the Retailer of Last Resort scheme moves its customers to a designated retailer so supply continues. You are placed on that retailer's standing offer and can then shop around.
How to choose a retailer
Start with price
Compare plans for your own usage on Energy Made Easy or Victorian Energy Compare. Our retailer profiles and cheapest plans by network show where each retailer stands.
Check service and complaints
The AER and the state ombudsmen publish complaint figures for each retailer. A low price is less useful if billing problems are common.
Look at the extras
Consider the feed-in tariff if you have solar, app and smart meter data access, payment options and the hardship program.
Read the fact sheet
Every plan has a fact sheet with the full prices and conditions. Read it before signing.
Questions about electricity retailers
Origin Energy, AGL and EnergyAustralia are the three largest retailers in the eastern states. In Western Australia, Synergy supplies most homes, and Aurora Energy and Jacana Energy are the main retailers in Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
The retailer sells you electricity and bills you. The distributor, or network, owns the poles, wires and substations that deliver it to your home and handles outages. You choose your retailer, but your network is set by your address.
Retailers must be authorised by the AER, or licensed by the ESC in Victoria. If a retailer fails, the Retailer of Last Resort scheme moves its customers to another retailer so the power stays on. Check complaint figures and read the plan fact sheet before signing.
No. Households in Western Australia are supplied by Synergy in the south-west or Horizon Power in regional areas, at prices set by the state government.
Your network, not your retailer. The faults number is on your bill. The network owns the poles and wires and is responsible for restoring supply.
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.