Electricity pricing

We are subject to economic regulation by the Australian Energy Regulator under the National Electricity Rules.

As an electricity distribution network business, the prices we charge customers are regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator who regulate all energy networks.

The cost of distributing energy across the electricity network is paid for through the network charges included in customers’ electricity bills and, typically, amount to 31 per cent of the total.

Electricity distribution regulatory price reset

As an electricity distribution network business, the prices we charge customers are regulated by the Australian Energy Regulator who regulate all energy networks.

Every five years we submit a Regulatory Proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator that must outline:

• the services we will offer
• the costs we are likely to incur
• prices we propose to charge our customers during the five-year regulatory period.

The Australian Energy Regulator only approves the proposal if it complies with legislation and promotes the long-term interests of our customers.

Proposal for 2026-2031

The Regulatory Proposal for 2026-31 will include:

• our story and vision for the future
• the services we offer (and which services are regulated)
• an expenditure forecast
• incentive schemes
• how our costs are recovered (including recovery timeframes)
• the rate of return we earn
• a forecast of network usage
• prices (including their levels, structure and how they are adjusted).

To develop the five-year proposal over the coming two years we will:

• listen to and address customer feedback
• consider the services we provide
• forecast the costs of providing our services
• calculate the prices required to recover the forecast costs.

To ensure that our plans best reflect the needs of our customers, we are engaging with customers in a variety of ways.

You can view more about our engagement approach here.

2021-2026 proposal

In April 2021, the Australian Energy Regulator made its Final Decision on our electricity distribution Regulatory Proposal for the 2021-2026 period.

The decision and proposal allowed us to deliver customer benefits through technology innovations, including:

• connecting over 37,000 new residential customers and 500 business customers
• replacing or reinforcing over 7,300 electricity poles
• facilitating the connection of over 110 MW of new renewable energy generation
• adding 60 MWh of new battery storage capacity to the grid
• investing in new technology.

You can view the 2021-26 Regulatory Proposal and decision here.