What the supply charge pays for
The supply charge covers the costs of keeping your home connected that do not change with how much power you use. Most of it goes to your local network business for the poles, wires, substations and meters that reach your street. The rest covers your retailer's fixed costs, such as billing and customer service.
It appears on your bill as a cents or dollars per day figure multiplied by the number of days in the billing period. A 91-day bill at $1.20 a day carries $109.20 in supply charges before any usage.
Supply charges by network for 2026-27
Default Market Offer, Victorian Default Offer and state regulated prices, including GST. Market offers set their own supply charges.
| Network | Per day | Per quarter | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential EnergyNSW | $2.72 | $247.72 | $993.60 |
| EnergexQueensland | $1.92 | $174.74 | $700.87 |
| Endeavour EnergyNSW | $1.85 | $168.48 | $675.76 |
| Aurora Energy, Tariff 32Tasmania | $1.82 | $165.62 | $664.30 |
| Ergon EnergyQueensland | $1.81 | $164.26 | $658.86 |
| SA Power NetworksSA | $1.80 | $163.85 | $657.18 |
| AusgridNSW | $1.66 | $151.27 | $606.74 |
| PowercorVictoria | $1.38 | $125.63 | $503.88 |
| Evoenergy network, ActewAGL standard planACT | $1.34 | $122.12 | $489.83 |
| AusNet ServicesVictoria | $1.28 | $116.70 | $468.08 |
| JemenaVictoria | $1.27 | $115.69 | $464.02 |
| CitiPowerVictoria | $1.21 | $110.24 | $442.16 |
| SynergyWA | $1.19 | $108.51 | $435.23 |
| Horizon PowerWA | $1.19 | $108.51 | $435.23 |
| United EnergyVictoria | $1.19 | $108.40 | $434.79 |
| Jacana Energy, Standard ResidentialNT | $0.62 | $56.83 | $227.94 |
Why supply charges differ so much
The biggest factor is the network. A rural network such as Essential Energy has far more line per customer than an inner-city network such as CitiPower, and its supply charge reflects that. Each network's prices are approved by the Australian Energy Regulator, then retailers add their own costs and margin.
The tariff matters too. Some plans pair a lower usage rate with a higher supply charge, or the other way around. Time-of-use and demand tariffs often have a different supply charge from the flat tariff on the same network.
The NT is different
The Northern Territory sets one regulated price across Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. Its supply charge is the lowest in the country, but its usage rate is around the national middle.
Can you lower your supply charge?
You cannot avoid it while you are connected, but you can choose a plan where it is lower. That trade-off depends on how much power you use:
- Low usage, such as a single person or a home with solar: a low supply charge usually matters more than a low usage rate.
- High usage, such as a large family or electric heating: the usage rate matters more, because it is multiplied by many more kWh.
Our bill calculator lets you test both sides of that trade-off with your own numbers, and our comparison guide shows how to weigh plans properly.
Questions about supply charges
A fixed amount you pay for each day your home is connected to the electricity network, whatever you use. It mainly covers network costs such as poles, wires and meters, plus some of your retailer's fixed costs.
On 2026-27 regulated flat rate tariffs it ranges from about 62c a day in the Northern Territory to $2.72 a day on Essential Energy in regional NSW. Most networks sit between $1.19 and $1.92 a day. Market offers can be higher or lower.
Yes. The supply charge applies for every day the property is connected and the account is in your name. If you move out, close the account so the charges stop. A vacant home still connected will keep building supply charges.
Yes. Solar panels reduce the electricity you buy and earn credits for exports, but you stay connected to the grid and pay the supply charge every day. For solar homes, the supply charge is often the largest part of the bill.
You are on the same network, so the difference comes from your plan or tariff. Retailers set their own supply charges on market offers, and time-of-use, demand and flat tariffs can each have a different supply charge.
It depends on your usage. Work out the extra supply cost over a year and divide it by the cents saved per kWh. If you use more than that many kWh a year, the lower usage rate wins. A bill calculator makes this quick.
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.