What Is The Average Electricity Bill in Sydney [2024 Guide]

What Is The Average Electric Bill in Sydney?

The average daily cost of energy in Sydney is expected to be approximately $4.70 for power volume and an extra 98 cents for use charges. 

The amount of energy used in Sydney homes varies depending on the size of the house and personal preferences. Residents can assess their individual energy use by knowing the average electricity bill data, notwithstanding the vast range of variations.

If you've ever wondered how your electricity bills stack up against the average, you're not the only one . Everyone wants to know if they're getting a good deal, and comparing their costs to the average is an excellent way to find out. Table displaying the average daily electricity bills in Sydney for June 2023 for various household sizes:

(Data Source: Service Today)

Electricity usage varies significantly from state to state, where different climates, property types and heating/cooling appliances affect how much electricity we use. That's why it's best to look at the average usage in your state to compare your electricity costs rather than a national average.

To calculate the average bill, the AEMC used the lowest offer from each power company to calculate the average price (the more customers a company had, the more their price counted towards the average). Then, they multiplied that by the average household usage to get an annual cost.

Besides, It pays (literally) to know what goes into your electricity bill in the current state of the electrical market. We want to ensure you understand why you're being charged the amount you are and what you can do to lower your expenses, which goes beyond simply knowing how much your power costs per kilowatt hour.

The following are some of the main items on your bill:

• National Metre Identifier, or NMI, is the name of the electricity meter issued to you for your account.The metre assigned to you for your gas account is identified by its MIRN or Metre Installation Reference Number.
• Kilowatt-Hour Usage Charge: Your variable consumption charge for the particular billing cycle. Typically, this is shown in "units," or cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). One of the critical components in lowering your electricity expenses is the base rate per kilowatt-hour that you pay for your power.
• Supply Charge: Your power provider charges you daily to stay connected to the grid. This charge is sometimes called your "service to property charge." When comparing electricity providers, it is crucial to consider the daily supply fee and the cost per kilowatt hour.
• Network Charge: Occasionally, your supplier will assess your electricity account for a network charge. Each account pays this amount to cover the maintenance expenses for keeping the local power network operational, which may also be referred to as a "distribution charge."
• Time of Use Tariffs: this involves charging you a different amount per kilowatt-hour based on the time of day you use your electricity. Under this arrangement, rates are often highest during the day and early evening (referred to as "peak") and lowest overnight and early in the morning (referred to as "off-peak" hours).
• Block Electricity Rates: theyare based on kWh tariffs, in which you pay a flat use rate for a block (a unit of electricity) and are then billed at a variable cost for subsequent blocks, and so on.
• Controlled Load Tariff: an electricity metre designed for a single high-draw item running at your location, such as your electric water heater or pool pump. Only that appliance is covered by this tariff, yet many controlled loads may be running at the same address.

Have Sydney Electric Bills Changed These Years? 

Prices for gas and electricity for homes and manufacturing companies have risen significantly in recent years, and this trend appears to continue. Gas and electricity have various underlying causes for these increases, and each state and territory has a varied contribution from each element.

The Australian government, along with the state and territory governments, is responsible for regulating the electricity and gas delivery businesses. Only a limited amount of direct price influence is available to the Australian government. Its primary function is to direct and encourage state and local government action.

Actual terms, or accounting for the overall rise in costs of all products and services, show that in the ten years leading up to June 2013, household prices climbed by an average of 72% for electricity and 54% for gas.

In the same period, manufacturing businesses experienced real electricity price rises of almost 60%. Manufacturing companies' gas prices have increased by 29%.

(Data Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)

The adoption of a carbon price starting in July 2013 is linked to the actual price increases of approximately 14% for household electricity and 13% for household gas after June 2012.

States and territories have had different patterns of price increases throughout the ten years leading up to June 2013. In Sydney, the actual rate of rise in electricity has been 107%. In cities with natural gas networks, residential gas prices increased from June 2013 to June 2010, from 40% in Sydney to 78% in Perth.

What Are The Electric Rates in Sydney?

Sydney energy users are spoilt for retailer choices. The options can become confusing, but partnering with an electricity provider who delivers the right energy plan for your household or business is essential. Here are the general usage and daily supply rates for customers in Sydney. These electricity rates are based on residential customers who live in Sydney.

In 2024, electricity prices in New South Wales (NSW) will increase due to rising generation and network infrastructure costs.

This has led to fierce competition among electricity providers to offer the best rates for consumers. In Sydney, the major investor-owned utilities are AGL, Alinta Energy, Amber Electric, Dodo, Energy Australia, Diamond Energy, and Red Energy, and their general usage rate is as follows:

It's important to know what energy rates you're paying for usage and supply, but working out what these rates translate to in terms of overall power costs can be tricky; that's why you should look at this blog; it can help you to make informed choices.

Why Is My Electric Bill So High in Sydney?

If you have high electricity bills in Sydney, you need to check possible reasons for your unexpected high bill and learn ways to manage it.

1. Estimated Bill

You may have received a higher bill due to an estimated bill. There are a few reasons we need to assess your energy usage.

If you have a basic meter (all gas meters are essential), it may be that your distributor had trouble accessing it, perhaps because it's indoors, behind a locked gate, or a dog may be in your yard. It reads your meter only every two or three months, but you have monthly billing.

Occasionally, connection interruptions may occur if you possess a digital metre. In this case, we receive an estimate based on your past use when data is unavailable. Visit Estimated Bills for information on how to tell me if you have an estimated bill, adjust energy bills if you've been charged too much, and avoid estimated bills.

2. Using Patterns

The summer and winter seasons can increase electricity costs for several reasons. More than usual, you may use:

• Cooling and heating appliances to cope with hot or cold weather.
• Gas in winter for longer showers and gas heating systems.
• A clothes dryer in winter when you can't dry clothes outdoors.

If you think hot or cold weather may contribute to your high bill, you can check if you're using more energy than usual by comparing your bill with previous summer or winter bills using My Account or the AGL app. Utilise natural opportunities for heating and cooling. For more information, check out our Home energy saving tips.

3. Previous Bill

A balance from your last bill may have been bought and moved forward to your most recent one. To find out if this applies to you, check page 2 of your bill. Look at the Understand Your Bill section and check Previous balances and payments.

You may also have had a credit applied to your previous bill that only applies to your most recent one. If your bill is higher this month, it could be due to the extended billing period. Your energy bill rarely covers the exact number of days per billing period.

4. Spending More Time at Home

Whether you've recently started working from home, the kids are on school holidays, or your friends or family visiting, spending more time at home may cause a higher bill.

How Do I Lower My Electric Bill in Sydney?

After knowing the average electricity bill in Sydney, you may wonder how to reduce your energy costs. You have the potential to get more savings on your electricity cost. 

Significant or minor modifications can accumulate to reduce your energy consumption. Adhere to these guidelines to decrease your expenses and contribute to the reduction of our emissions.

Tip 1: Smartly Using Cooling & Heating

On average, 35% of the energy you use in your home goes to heating and cooling. Here are some ways to use less.

First, look at the options that use less energy and cost less. For cooler air in the summer, use fans first. Fans use about three to five cents an hour to run, much less than air conditioning and other ways to cool down. Put on warmer clothes, blankets, or a heated throw in the winter.

Keep the temperature down so your system doesn't have to work as hard. In the summer, set your air conditioner to 23 to 26 degrees. In the winter, set your heater to 18 to 21 degrees. You'll use 5-10% more energy for every degree outside this range.  

Only cool or heat the parts of your home you'll be in most of the day to "zone" it. When you zone, you close the doors to rooms you're not using so that the heat or cool air stays in your rooms.

Tip 2: Turn Off Standby Mode

Standby appliances might result in higher electricity consumption over a year. Appliances such as televisions, phone chargers, dishwashers, and other devices consume significant electrical power when not actively used. Hence, ensure they are powered off at the wall or consider acquiring an intelligent power board to prevent standby electricity use.

Tip 3: Replace Inefficient Appliances

Up to 30% of the energy you use goes to your appliances. You waste energy leaving appliances on standby (with the light on). This can raise your power bill by up to 7%, or $170. Turn computers and game systems off at the wall when not in use.

By replacing an inefficient old model with a new energy-efficient one, you might save a significant amount of money, ranging from thousands of dollars, throughout the appliance's lifespan.    

You can use the Energy Rating calculator to find out how much energy an appliance uses and how much it costs to run, or you can subscribe to Choice to get reviews of products written by experts.

Need help with money? The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) lets people borrow money to pay for things like fridges and washing machines that they need.

Tip 4: Monitor Your Electricity Usage

An energy monitor is necessary for accurately monitoring your household's electricity consumption. The monitor will visually represent the rate at which you consume electricity. Therefore, you can consistently recognise the appropriate time to conserve energy and reduce electricity expenses.

You can compare their services to determine which power provider offers the most favourable terms. It is essential to stay updated on electricity rates as various energy firms frequently modify their products and prices. If you come across organisations offering favourable discounts, you can contact them to avail yourself of their services and reduce your electricity expenses.

Tip 5: Change Personal Habits

Think about any habits or preferences that might affect how much energy your home uses - plan for these personal things to help you save money on your energy bills. You can make it a habit at home to turn off the lights when no one is in the room. In the long run, something this easy can make a huge difference.

Tip 6: Turn to Solar Energy

Reducing your electricity price can be very easy if you use solar power. Buying energy from stores will be less necessary if you can make enough solar energy.

You could meet your lighting and heating needs by setting solar panels on the roof of your home or office. This will cost you a lot upfront but save you a lot of money in the long run. However, if you think installing a solar panel system is costly, you may consider investing in a solar generator to use renewable energy at a reasonable price.

Solar generators, like Jackery Solar Generator, can be an environmentally friendly energy source to reduce energy consumption and lower household electricity bills. Solar investments in electricity can benefit from various incentives, rebates, and feed-in tariffs, increasing home value while saving energy.

In addition, Sydney's sunny climate is ideal for solar generating electricity, reducing grid dependency and saving money on electricity bills. The initial costs of installing a solar or electric power system are high, but the ongoing savings can be thousands of dollars.

Jackery Solar Generators for Reducing Electric Bills

Implementing a solar energy system in your residence provides numerous advantages. Jackery is a renowned manufacturer in the solar industry, focusing on producing top-notch solar equipment like solar generators, solar panels, and portable power stations.

Jackery Solar Generators offer a reliable and uninterrupted power supply for your household appliances to reduce your electric bills in Sydney.  

In conjunction with Jackery Solar Panels, a Portable Power Station facilitates the efficient conversion and storage of more sunlight for future use. By having numerous output ports, you can charge multiple appliances at the same time.

Additionally, a Portable Power Station offers several options for recharging, such as Jackery Solar Panels, carports, wall outlets, or other electric generators.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

Jackery has unveiled the Solar Generator 2000 Plus, a cutting-edge portable power solution with exceptional performance. Thanks to its substantial capacity and formidable power output, this device can sustain the operation of standard domestic appliances for several weeks and fulfil all the power needs associated with outdoor adventure or professional activity.

The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus allows adding extra battery packs, which boosts the capacity from 2 kWh to a remarkable 12 kWh, thus enhancing the solar charging capabilities significantly. With the ability to be expanded to 3000W, this solar product offers a 30% higher rated power than other 2 kWh solar products available in the market.

The Explorer 2000 Plus is an industry's pioneering add-on battery pack that can be recharged using solar panels. This feature enhances versatility, improves charging efficiency, and reduces charging time. The LiFePO4 battery, with its sophisticated technology, guarantees a lifespan of 10 years, even with daily usage limited to once per day. Jackery Solar Panels generate more energy over their lifespan due to their exceptional solar conversion efficiency, reaching up to 25%.

Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus is the ideal portable power supply for home due to its exceptional output. It can aid in camping, off-road driving, home emergencies, and other circumstances. It is the all-in-one solar generator for your life due to its versatility and size. 

Supports up to three additional battery packs, bringing the total capacity to 5kWh and providing 1-3 days of home backup power. A solar generator can power your refrigerators, TVs, radios, and phones at home, bringing both comfort and convenience.

Stay connected and keep critical devices running with reliable backup power, assuring safety and convenience in an emergency.

The Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus portable power station, with a 10-year lifespan and a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, provides a consistent voltage and pure sine wave to ensure the safety of all your electrical gadgets. Additionally, the innovative ChargeShield technology and consistent power delivery avoid equipment damage.

Average Electric Bill in Sydney FAQs

The following are the frequently asked questions about the average electric bill in Sydney.

1. What is the average electric bill in NSW?

The average electricity bill in New South Wales (NSW) varies depending on household size, energy usage, and location. However, as of recent data, the average quarterly electricity bill for households in NSW is approximately $300 to $400. 

2. How much is Sydney'saverage utility bill for a two-person household?

For a two-person household in Sydney, the average utility bill, including electricity, gas, and water, typically ranges from $200 to $300 per quarter, depending on energy consumption habits and the efficiency of appliances.

3. What is the average cost per kWh in Sydney?

The average cost per kWh of electricity in Sydney varies depending on the retailer, energy plan, and usage patterns. As of recent data, the average cost of electricity in Sydney is approximately 25 to 30 cents per kWh.

4. How much electricity does an average house use in Australia?

The average electricity consumption for an Australian household varies depending on the number of occupants, house size, climate conditions, and energy-efficient practices. However, as a rough estimate, the average household in Australia consumes around 4,000 to 5,000 kWh of electricity per year.

Final Thoughts

The typical Sydney household must pay a substantial amount for power. If you're a resident serious about controlling your energy expenses, think about using smart home technology and energy-efficient appliances, which can assist in lowering the amount of electricity required for your house to function correctly. Also, you can choose the Jackery Solar Generator to charge household appliances in peak hours to save bills effectively.