Ergon Energy energy

Ergon Energy is one of the few energy retailers serving regional Queensland. Customers who want to reduce their bills could check out Ergon Energy plans.

Despite only operating in regional Queensland, Ergon Energy pulls its weight when it comes to energy supply in the Sunshine State. In fact, it accounted for nearly 10 per cent of residential electricity customers in Australia in 2019-2020. Having said that, most of Ergon Energy’s residential customers live in areas where no other retailers offer services. 

This state-owned energy distributor and retailer serves large parts of regional Queensland, with the southeastern region being the major exception. Also, if you live in extreme western or northern Queensland, you should check if Ergon Energy offers energy services in your area. Since the electricity market in regional Queensland is regulated, Ergon Energy has to comply with the state government’s Uniform Tariff Policy.

Depending on where you live in Queensland, Ergon Energy may be the only energy provider in your area. You should check if there are other energy retailers offering services in your area and compare Ergon Energy’s plans with theirs before signing a contract.

However, Ergon Energy electricity rates are set by the Queensland Competition Authority. These prices are determined every year based on the prices offered by providers in deregulated southeast Queensland. For instance, the price determination for 2021-2022 suggests that households in regional Queensland can expect to pay as much as 8.6 per cent less for electricity compared to 2020-2021.

Keep in mind that your household’s electricity needs are probably unique and choose an electricity tariff or usage charge that best suits your household electricity consumption. Once you know what you’re after, you can check if Ergon Energy plans are available in your area and sign up for a connection if it’s right for you. Typically, you can choose a plan offering either a primary tariff or an economy tariff, also called a secondary tariff. Some of the primary tariffs include:

1. General Supply Tariff: Also called Tariff 11, customers choosing this price are charged the same fixed rate irrespective of the appliances they use or the amount of electricity they consume. It’s a common choice for most households in regional Queensland.
2. Time of Use Tariff: Ergon Energy offers two time-of-use tariffs, which are labelled Tariff 12A and Tariff 12B. Under Tariff 12A, peak rates are applicable during the summer months from December to February, with 3:00 pm-9:30 pm daily being the peak hours. These rates can be significantly higher than the rates during the rest of the year, and people who can use less power during this period can save more on their energy bills.

   Tariff 12B, on the other hand, doesn’t differentiate between the summer months and the rest of the year. Instead, customers are charged a peak rate for electricity used between 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm on any day of the week, a shoulder period rate for usage between 9:00 pm and 9:00 am, and an off-peak for the rest of the day. The shoulder rate is usually only slightly higher than the off-peak rate, while the peak rate is significantly higher.

3. Demand Tariff: People who tend to use high-power appliances but aren’t sure of the time they may use their appliances might find demand tariffs a more comfortable choice. All they need to do is reduce their electricity usage during the peak demand period. If they can do so during the summer rather than other months, Tariff 14 may offer the best deal.
   
   Tariffs 14A and 14B look at demand daily rather than on a seasonal basis, but Tariff 14A is meant for people newly opting for demand tariffs.

4. Economy Tariff: You can choose to install a separate meter for some of your high-demand appliances such as water heaters, separate from the rest of the house, and pay a different rate for the electricity consumed. Ergon Energy offers two choices, Tariff 31 and Tariff 33, with the former meant for water heaters reheated only at night and the latter for longer hours of use.

5. Solar Feed-in Tariff: If you’ve installed solar photovoltaic panels on your property, you can receive a credit for the unused electricity you send back to the grid.

Usage charges are only one component of electricity prices, with supply charges the other part. When comparing Ergon Energy tariff rates, you should also look at the supply charge in addition to the usage charge. For instance, a Tariff 11 rate comprises usage charges of $0.23932 per kWh and a supply charge of $0.99744 per day. Besides the usage and supply charges, Ergon Energy retail contracts can include meter services charges.

Ensuring that Aussies can afford to pay for utilities is a critical aspect of electricity regulation in Queensland. Accordingly, the government pays Ergon Energy a subsidy for keeping their electricity supply charges level with the charges for customers in southeast Queensland. Customers can also lower their energy bills if they qualify for any of the following government schemes:

• Electricity asset ownership dividend: Residents of Queensland are considered shareholders in the state’s electricity generation assets and receive an annual dividend of $50 for their share. Ergon Energy passes on this dividend as a credit to its customers, with rebates applied to each quarterly electricity bill. You should receive this credit even if you are receiving other rebates or concessions.
• Queensland Government electricity rebate: If you are either a senior, a pensioner, or an asylum seeker, or if you hold a health care card, you may qualify for this electricity rebate if you also meet a few other requirements.
• Customer Assist Program: Ergon Energy also helps customers finding it difficult to afford electricity to plan their payments and check if they are eligible for other government schemes such as the Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme.

If you are already an Ergon Energy customer, you can ask the provider to move your connection. You should, however, confirm that they offer their service in your new neighbourhood. Typically, you can submit a moving request online through your Ergon Energy account. If you are moving to an area where Ergon Energy is not the energy provider, you may want to pay all your dues and close the account.

However, if you are not an Ergon Energy customer, you’ll have to sign up for a new energy contract offering the most suitable tariff. Consider comparing Ergon Energy plans with those of any other retailers providing services in your new area.

Usually, Ergon Energy customers receive their electricity bill every quarter, either in the post or via e-mail. You can confirm whether this is the case by checking the billing period mentioned on the front of your bill. You should also make sure that your address, account number, and last payment details are accurately reflected. In addition to the supply and usage charges, the bill should also mention any credits or rebates due to you. If you are eligible for a rebate or a concession and it isn’t reflected in your energy bill, you should reach out to Ergon Energy.

You should make a note of the due date of the bill as well as the next meter reading date. If you don’t pay the bill by the due date, you may have to pay a late payment fine. Your credit score could also be affected if you miss more than one payment deadline. Also, you may need to ensure that your household’s energy meter is easily accessible on the date mentioned for the next reading. Ideally, you should guarantee access to the meter for at least a couple of days on either side of the meter reading date.

Reading your bill thoroughly can help you figure out how to save on energy costs, as the bill includes a comparison of your current usage charges with the same period last year as well as with other households in your neighbourhood. While other families in your area may be using different appliances at different times, it may be useful to see if they’ve signed up for a tariff that could work for your household electricity needs as well. Note that you have to wait at least a year before signing up to a new tariff plan if you change your mind about your plan.