Electricity & Gas Tasmania | Compare Plans & Rates in TAS

Until recently, Tasmania was one of the most heavily regulated energy markets in the country but this is no longer the case. In the last few years, more energy providers have begun trickling into the market, giving residential consumers more choice than ever before when it comes to making decisions about their electricity and gas. If you’re curious about these changes happening in Tasmania and how you can benefit from choosing your energy provider, find out more by reading below.

Compare Electricity Plans in Tasmania

Tasmania is one of the newest states to join the National Electricity Market and while technically deregulated with full contestability, there are only two electricity providers in the state who offer nearly identical rates, and one natural gas provider.

Energy Providers in TAS

Historically, Tasmania has had one of the most heavily regulated energy markets in Australia, leading to little competition or choice between energy providers. Up until February 2019, Aurora Energy was the only electricity provider in the state, when 1st Energy entered the market.

Since then, three more providers have joined the Tasmanian electricity market. First, Future X Power in late 2019 and then Energy Locals and Elysian Energy in 2020. Now, with four energy providers in the state, Tasmanians have more choice than ever before when it comes to comparing and switching energy providers.

• Energy Locals: Electricity Only
• Aurora Energy: Electricity and Gas
• 1st Energy: Electricity Only
• CovaU Energy: Electricity Only
• TasGas: Gas Only

Electricity Rates in Tasmania

Despite the deregulation of retail competition in Tasmania, electricity prices remain regulated by the Government. This regulation limits the variation in rates among retailers in the state. As a result, most electricity providers in Tasmania differentiate themselves through discounts, incentives, or unique propositions to attract customers.

Understanding the different tariffs and electricity rates in Tasmania is crucial as they determine your electricity expenses. There are five different tariffs available, each serving a specific purpose. Here's a brief overview:

Aurora Energy Rates

Aurora Energy, a state government-owned corporation, was the sole electricity retailer in Tasmania until recently. Despite the lack of heavy discounting and competition, Aurora’s prices remain fairly reasonable. Below are Aurora Energy’s electricity usage and supply charges for Tasmania across different tariffs:

1st Energy Rates

1st Energy, the first residential electricity challenger to Aurora Energy, offers prices similar to Aurora’s tariff structures. However, even minor differences can significantly impact your costs over time. Below are the prices for 1st Energy’s Standing Offer:

Energy Locals Rates

Energy Locals, a challenger brand, offers lower rates compared to other providers in Tasmania. However, customers need to pay a monthly membership fee to access these cheaper wholesale prices. Here’s what Energy Locals offers:

While the choice of electricity providers in Tasmania might be limited compared to other regions, it's still essential to compare the available options to find the best plan for your needs. Aurora Energy, 1st Energy, and Energy Locals each offer unique benefits and pricing structures, making it possible for consumers to find a plan that suits their usage patterns and budget.

Gas Rates in Tasmania

While there isn’t much choice between electricity providers in Tasmania, there are even fewer choices when it comes to natural gas providers. Despite the price of gas not being regulated in Tasmania, the limited market means very few new gas providers try to retail in the state. Currently only Aurora Energy and Tas Gas retail residential natural gas to Tasmanians.

In terms of price, Tas Gas and Aurora Energy have little difference. While Tas Gas might have a higher daily supply charge and lower usage rates, Aurora Energy has a lower daily supply charge but higher usage rates.

Solar Feed-In Tariff Tasmania

The bad news when it comes to limited retail competition in the Tasmanian electricity market - if you have solar panels you don’t have a lot of options when it comes to your solar feed-in tariff. Unlike other states in Australia, where you can find different combinations of feed-in tariff and energy plan discounts, Tasmania’s limited electricity market means limited solar feed-in tariffs. Below, you’ll find the available solar feed-in tariffs in Tasmania, for each available provider in the state.

• Aurora Energy: 10.869c/kWh
• 1st Energy: 10.869c/kWh to 12c/kWh
• Energy Locals: 10.869c/kWh
• CovaU: 10.869c/kWh
• Sonnen Energy: 8.88c/kWh

Cost of Solar Panels in Hobart

If you’re interested in investing in solar energy for your home in Hobart, TAS, then you must research the cost of solar panels. The average cost of solar panels in the state are higher than the national average, according to SolarChoice June 2021 solar price report, which takes into account solar rebates available through the Renewable Energy Target small-scale certificates, and includes GST. Below, you can check the average cost of soalr panels in Hobart, depending on the size of solar panels you would like to be installed:

Power Outage Tasmania

If you’re experiencing a power outage, or another energy-related issue, in Tasmania, you’re going to want to call your energy distributor to let them know and hopefully fix the problem. While you purchase your electricity and gas through energy providers, it's the distributor who actually manages the infrastructure and supplies your home with energy.In Tasmania, there is one electricity distributor, TasNetworks, and one gas distributor, Tas Gas Networks.

Energy Distributors in TAS

Tasmania only has one electricity and one gas distributor for the island. TasNetworks distributes electricity through the region, while Tas Gas Networks distributes the gas. You can find the phone numbers for both here, in case of a power outage or emergency.

Energy Rebates & Concessions in TAS

Those living in Tasmania who need a little extra help with their energy bills, have four that they might be eligible for. However, if you’re having trouble paying your energy bills, it’s best to first contact your energy provider to discuss all your options.

Energy customers in Tasmania have four concessions and rebates available to them:

• Annual Electricity Concession Tasmania: Daily discount of 140.740c/day off their electricity bill
• Heating Allowance Tasmania: Two payments of $28 in May in September
• Life Support Concession Tasmania: Between 37.015c/day up to 196.577c/day
• Medical Heating or Cooling Concession Tasmania: 42.155c/day

For more information about these concessions and energy rebates available, continue reading below.