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Compare Energy and Gas in Melbourne, Victoria

Want to take the stress and hard work out of finding an energy plan that suits your needs in Melbourne or across Victoria? You’re in the right place.

Here at Compare and Connect, we believe you shouldn’t pay any more for power than you have to. That’s why we’ve taken all the hard work out of searching for an energy plan that suits you. We compare both residential and business energy prices and providers so you can select the option, most suited for your circumstances.

Why Compare Energy in Melbourne, Victoria?

  • With so many energy providers available in Melbourne and across Victoria, it can be difficult to figure out which provider is suitable for your specific circumstances. Comparing energy providers and the prices and deals they offer can help you to choose the most suitable option for you, and help you to save money in the long-term.
  • Use energy smarter and save money. Gathering information from your smart meter can help you to make an informed decision on which energy provider you choose. For example, it may help you to decide a provider with different energy rates throughout the day, which could mean that you use high energy-consuming appliances during the times of day that energy rates are cheapest.
  • Many households initially chose their energy provider based on long-expired discounts or deals. Comparing energy providers could enable you to take advantage of new discounts and deals, allowing you to pay less for your energy.

Energy Providers in Melbourne, Victoria

AGL

Having been operated for more than 180 years, AGL is responsible for operating Australia’s largest electricity generation portfolio, accounting for roughly 20% of Australia’s National Electricity Market’s generation capacity. Proudly committed to shaping Australia’s sustainable energy future, AGL is the largest ASX-listed investor in renewable energy.

Alinta Energy

Alinta Energy has been operating for more than 20 years and currently supplies energy to more than one million Australians. Their distribution infrastructure delivers approximately 3,000MW of power to businesses and homes across Australia. Their investment in sustainable energy solutions includes solar power, battery storage, geothermal energy solutions and major windfarm operations.

Dodo Power and Gas

Dodo offers more than just internet services; they are also an energy retailer. Dodo is able to offer competitive pricing with no lock-in contracts and flexible payment options.

Energy Australia

Energy Australia is committed to providing simple, affordable energy. They provide their customers with fair and transparent energy plans. Their fixed rates have meant that more than 150,000 of their customers have been able to avoid rises in rates. Their Go Neutral plan also allows customers to choose carbon neutral electricity at no extra cost.

Lumo Energy

Lumo Energy is an Australian-owned company that is proud to offer energy plans with incredibly affordable rates. Over the past 10 years, they have won several awards for their consistently reliable and helpful service and is now proud to provide energy to over 500,000 Australians. 

Momentum Energy

Momentum Energy emphasises their transparency when it comes to the prices you pay. Their commitment to sustainability is evidenced by the fact that they are owned by Hydro Tasmania, which is the largest renewable energy generator in Australia. Over the past few years, they have won myriad awards for their commitment to the environment and customer satisfaction.

Origin

Origin is the leading integrated energy company in Australia and is responsible for supplying 4.2 million Australians with electricity. Origin aspires to become a leader in renewable energy in Australia and beyond by empowering customers to reduce their carbon footprint by taking advantage of developing wind, solar and storage technologies.

Powerdirect

Powerdirect has been helping households and businesses across Australia for two decades to enjoy great electricity rates and helpful service whenever they need it. Powerdirect employs their years of experience to ensure that their customers are able to understand and streamline their electricity needs – all with a personal touch.

Powershop

Powershop is proudly Australia’s greenest power company and has been recognised as such for the past three years by Greenpeace. They focus on providing customers with environmentally-friendly energy without the added cost. Powershop is owned by parent company Meridian Energy Australia, who are responsible for generating 100% renewable energy.

Red Energy

Red Energy is owned by Snowy Hydro, making them a 100% Australian company that has been providing energy since they came onto the market in 2004. They pride themselves in being small enough to provide consistently excellent customer service and personalised care, while being big enough to offer affordable energy rates.

Simply Energy

Simply Energy began providing energy in 2005 and has since become one of the fastest growing energy companies in Australia, now providing over 700,000 Australians with power. As a part of ENGIE – a global energy provider that provides energy in more than 70 countries – Simply Energy draws upon a wealth of global experience to provide innovative services locally in Australia.

Tango Energy

Tango Energy, established in 2012, is the retail arm of Pacific Hydro. As a rapidly growing Australian energy retailer, Tango Energy offer competitively priced products in order to deliver value to their customers. From small homes to large businesses, Tango Energy prides themselves on their ability meet the needs of today’s customers.

Learn More About Energy in Victoria

Deregulation of Electricity Industry in Victoria

In 2002, the Victorian electricity industry became deregulated. This means that energy retailers are able to set their own prices – which is a good thing for you because it means that the increased competition drives energy rates down and increases the quality of customer service.

Victorian Energy Concessions

There are several energy concessions and benefits available to eligible cardholders in order to help low-income Victorian residents manage their energy bills. These concessions include:

  • Annual electricity concession
  • Controlled load electricity concession
  • Electricity transfer fee waiver
  • Excess electricity concession
  • Life support concession
  • Medical cooling concession
  • Non-mains energy concession
  • Service to property charge concession

Smart Meters

All homes in Victoria should have a smart meter installed. These meters can provide you with a comprehensive insight into your energy usage. Every 30 minutes, your smart reader will record how much energy your household is using. This data is then sent to your electricity distributer or supplier who is then able to give you access to this information through in-home displays or a web portal.

By gaining a better understanding of your electricity usage patterns, you better manage your energy usage and choose an energy provider or plan that best suits you, enabling you to lower the cost of your energy bills.

Electricity Tariffs and Charges in Victoria

There are two different types of charges:

  • Supply charge – A daily amount that your electricity supplier charges to supply your home or business with electricity, no matter how much or little energy you use.
  • Usage charge – The amount you pay for each kWh of energy supplied to your home.

Electricity tariffs are the ways your energy distributer charges for electricity use. The availability of some tariffs can depend on your network and your retailer, and some distributers refer to them by different names.

Some of the most common electricity tariffs in Victoria are:

  • Single rate tariff – Charges the same rate for all electricity used
  • Block rate tariff – Charges on rate for the first ‘block’ of electricity, and another rate for the rest
  • Flexible pricing tariff – Charges different energy rates depending on the time that energy is used, including a ‘shoulder period’
  • Time of use tariff - Charges different energy rates depending on the time that energy is used but does not include a ‘shoulder period’
  • Demand tariff – A demand tariff (AKA a capacity charge) is a component of electricity billing where the daily charge is set by the highest power demand in a specific time period. For example, between 3pm and 9pm. Demand charges are charged either per kW per day or kVA per day.
  • Controlled load (two-rate) tariff – A controlled load tariff is applied to a large appliance in your home like a hot water service, slab or pool heater, which receives electricity on its own circuit and might or might not be separately metered. These sorts of appliances generally pull large, steady amounts of electrical current at certain times of the day, usually overnight.
  • Feed-in tariff – For homes with solar panels, you can receive credit for the excess power your panels feed into the grid

Knowing the different types of tariffs and what they entail, combined with the information provided to you by your smart meter, can help you to choose a tariff that best suits your household energy needs.

Electricity Distribution Networks in Victoria

Your electricity distributer is dependent on where you live, which means you cannot choose your electricity distribution network. They are responsible for owning and managing the power poles that deliver power to you.

In Victoria there are five electricity distribution networks:

  • Powercor Australia – Services western suburbs and western Victoria
  • Ausnet Services – Services outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria
  • United Energy Distribution – Services southern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula
  • Citipower – Services city and inner suburbs
  • Jemena – Services northern and north-western suburbs

Victorian Default Offer

The Victorian Default Offer was introduced in July 2019 after an independent review into energy prices found that Victorians were paying more than they should for electricity. The VDO is part of the government’s Energy Fairness Plan to make the electricity market simpler and more affordable for all consumers. From 1 July 2019, your energy provider must automatically move customers on existing simple standing offers to the VDO.  The VDO is a fair offer but not necessarily the cheapest offer available to you.

If you opt in to the Victorian Default Offer, you will be able to leave at any time and access other offers in the market. From 1 July, your energy provider must tell you on your bill, at least once every 3 months for electricity bills and once every four months for gas bills, whether you are on their best offer. This means you can compare which offer is best and fairest for you.

Average Electricity Bill in Victoria (Melbourne)

According to the Essential Services Commission and based on figures from 2019, the average annual expenditure for residents of Melbourne, Victoria is $1420 which equates to about $27.23 weekly.

It is worth keeping in mind that this is just an average and that your individual bill will be dependent on your specific circumstances, such as the size of your household and the appliances that you use.