If you thought your electricity bill was high during the past year, you're not the only one.
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New figures from the Australian Energy Regulator show electricity prices jumped by up to 11 per cent during the 2016-17 financial year.
In its most recent annual report, the regulator found the annual electricity bill in Canberra on a market offer - a bill with tailored terms and conditions - rose 5.2 per cent to $1266, while those on a standing offer - a standard contract - increased by 11.5 per cent to $1387.
In some relief to energy customers, gas bills on both market and standing offers fell during the time period by 1.2 per cent to $1514 and 6.3 per cent to $1581 respectively.
However, the ACT had the highest annual gas bill out of the states and territories listed in the report, with median bills double that of those in Queensland, and $500 more than South Australia, the second-most expensive state.
Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory were not included in the regulator's report.
ActewAGL general manager of retail Ayesha Razzaq said changes to electricity and gas prices in the ACT came into effect on July 1, 2016.
"Although the AER's report highlights an 11.5 per cent increase across the ACT, ActewAGL passed on only a 6 per cent increase in its electricity standing order," she said.
"Although the ACT has some of the lowest electricity prices, we recognise the need to support our customers and are continuing to closely monitor average debt levels for customers in hardship."
The regulator's chair, Paula Conboy, outlined concerns over the growing number of electricity disconnections over the past year, with the figure rising in all jurisdictions except NSW.
In Canberra, 427 customers were disconnected from the electricity network in 2016-17, up from 388 the previous year.
"Disconnecting a customer is a serious measure, and we consider that this step should only be taken as a last resort by retailers."
Ms Conboy also said the energy regulator will further examine the effectiveness of hardship programs, with only 27 per cent of those customers exiting the programs.
In the most recent financial year, 0.39 per cent of electricity customers, and just under 0.5 per cent of gas customers were on a hardship program in the ACT.
Canberrans entering a hardship program have the largest gas debt out of any Australian jurisdiction listed in the report, at $1784.
The average debt for electricity customers on hardship programs was $1538, which was the second-highest behind Tasmania at $1750.
While complaints to energy providers in the ACT fell from 6 per 100 customers to 5 per 100 customers in the past year, those making complaints to Canberra's largest energy company, ActewAGL, spent the longest time waiting on the phone in the country.
On average, those wanting to call ActewAGL spent three minutes and 48 seconds waiting to be answered, almost double that of the second-longest waiting time of just under two minutes for Ergon Energy customers in Queensland.
The report found 53 per cent of calls to ActewAGL were taken in under 30 seconds, a drop of 16 per cent.
Ms Razzaq said the electricity provider had put on extra staff to help keep wait times down.
"The longer wait times noted in the report were the result of an increased number of calls coming into ActewAGL's call centre," she said.
"This was due to customers becoming more engaged with their energy use."
