Energy bills for Canberrans have fallen over the past 12 months, according to an authoritative report on electricity and gas in the ACT.
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ACT Energy Prices is a detailed study of fuel bills in the year to July.
On electricity bills, it found "the annual bill for households on ActewAGL's regulated rate (single/flat rate tariff) has typically decreased by $75, or 3 per cent, since July 2019".
"Households' annual gas costs have remained unchanged since July 2019," it stated.
You get a much better deal by shopping around. Try the government's Energy Made Easy site.
- Gavin Dufty
Overall, the static gas bills and the falling electricity bills mean "the total cost of energy, for average consumption households, has decreased by two per cent (or $70)".
One of the authors of the report, Gavin Dufty, said the main reason for the fall was that the ACT government regulator had ordered that prices should be cut.
There is also increased competition. There are more companies offering to supply electricity to homes in the ACT and they are competing with each other.
Mr Dufty said that even with the fall in the regulated price, lower bills could still be found by shopping around. Consumers can choose the given, regulated price or to go on to the market.
He recommended the government price comparison website Energy Made Easy.
The researchers spelled out how competition has increased.
"There has been a recent increase in retailers offering electricity contracts to households in the ACT," they said.
"Currently seven retailers, the host retailer ActewAGL, EnergyAustralia, Origin Energy, Red Energy, Energy Locals, Powerclub and Amber Electric are offering market contracts to residential electricity customers.
"For gas it continues to be only three retailers in the ACT (ActewAGL, Energy Australia and Origin Energy)."
The report was written in July. Red Energy also supplies gas now.
The research was done by the Social Policy Unit of the St Vincent de Paul Society and by energy experts Alviss Consulting.
Their report looks at a raft of different tariffs in the ACT and suggests where cheaper deals might be available.
For example, it says "a typical consumption household can save $550 per annum (23 per cent) on electricity costs by switching from Amber Electric's market offer to Powerclub's market offer (including discounts)".
Or, regarding gas, "a typical consumption household can save $295 per annum on gas costs by switching from ActewAGL to Origin Energy (including discounts)".
The researchers say that solar now offers cheaper electricity than non-solar.
"The average annual bill is approximately $1245 for solar households with 3kW systems installed," they said.
"This means that the average annual bill is $870 less for solar households with 3kW systems installed compared to non-solar households."
Separate research indicates there's been a big shift in energy usage from employers to employees since many people began working from home. Household electricity and gas usage has jumped by about 15 per cent. Businesses are using about 12 per cent less.
Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
