Compare electricity plans in Canberra and the ACT
To compare electricity plans in Canberra, do two things the ACT Government recommends: check the message on your bill that says whether your retailer has a cheaper plan for you, then compare every retailer's plans for your postcode on Energy Made Easy. The ACT has no Default Market Offer. Instead the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) sets ActewAGL's standing offer prices, which rose 2.7% on average from 1 July 2026, about $64 a year for a typical household using 6,500 kWh.
Fewer than 20% of Canberra customers are on that standing offer; the rest are on market offers from ActewAGL or competitors, which the ICRC says tend to be cheaper. This page covers who sells electricity and gas in the ACT, the $800 rebate, gas and what solar owners should know.
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General information only. We don't compare every provider or plan in the market, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.
How to compare electricity plans in Canberra
- 1Check your bill's better offer messageYour retailer must tell you on the front page of your bill, at least every three months and next to the amount due, whether it has a plan that could save you money. If it does, ask to be moved.
- 2Compare every plan on Energy Made EasyThe federal government's free comparator lists every generally available plan from every retailer selling in the ACT. Enter a year's usage from your bills. The ICRC's typical Canberra household uses 6,500 kWh a year, more than the NSW and Queensland reference households, so the usage rate matters.
- 3Read the Basic Plan Information DocumentCheck the usage rate, daily supply charge, discount conditions, benefit periods and any exit fee before you accept.
- 4Switch and keep your rebateThe new retailer arranges the transfer and you have 10 business days to withdraw. Give it your concession card details so the $800 rebate continues.
How electricity prices are set in the ACT
Evoenergy owns the electricity and gas networks in the ACT, so it is the same whichever retailer you choose. ActewAGL, a joint venture between the ACT Government's Icon Water and AGL, supplied about 70% of ACT households at 31 March 2026 according to the AER, and is the retailer whose standing offer the ICRC regulates.
For 2026-27, the ICRC found that wholesale costs fell (from $163 to $143 per MWh), but network costs rose 15% and the cost of the ACT's large-scale renewable feed-in scheme rose 90%. The result was the 2.7% average increase, a real decrease of 0.5% after inflation. The ICRC expects ACT prices to move from the lower end of the national range to the middle. Our energy hub explains how to compare electricity plans across Australia, including the reference prices used in NSW.
| Customer | Annual usage | Change in annual bill |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential customer | 6,500 kWh | +$64 (+2.7% average price change) |
| Average non-residential customer | 25,000 kWh | +$245 |
Retailers selling electricity in the ACT
Fourteen retailers had residential electricity customers in the ACT at 31 March 2026, according to the Australian Energy Regulator, though most households are with ActewAGL. The table lists those with at least 100 residential customers. It is not a ranking: Energy Made Easy shows every plan each one sells.
| Retailer | Residential electricity customers | Also sells gas in the ACT |
|---|---|---|
| ActewAGL | 142,537 | Yes |
| Origin Energy | 39,502 | Yes |
| Red Energy | 9,609 | Yes |
| EnergyAustralia | 5,794 | Yes |
| Energy Trade | 3,644 | No |
| Amber Electric | 1,286 | No |
| The Embedded Networks Company | 505 | No |
| EL Retail Energy | 372 | No |
| LocalVolts | 108 | No |
Why comparing still pays in Canberra
Because the regulated price only applies to ActewAGL's standing offer, a market offer from ActewAGL itself or from another retailer is usually cheaper. The ICRC's typical Canberra household uses 6,500 kWh a year, more than the NSW and Queensland reference households, so the usage rate tends to matter more than the supply charge. Compare plans on your own annual kWh.
The Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate
The ACT's main energy concession, formerly called the Utilities Concession, is worth $800 in 2026-27. It is paid as a daily credit on your electricity bill: about 101.887 cents a day from 1 November to 31 May and about 381.699 cents a day from 1 June to 31 October. Primary holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card, some Veteran Gold Cards and the ACT Services Access Card are eligible; the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is not. Apply through your retailer, or the ACT Revenue Office if you live in an embedded network.
Gas in the ACT
Evoenergy runs the ACT's gas network. At 31 March 2026, four retailers had residential gas customers in the ACT, according to the AER: ActewAGL, Origin Energy, Red Energy and EnergyAustralia. Compare their gas plans on Energy Made Easy using a year of bills, including winter, because heating drives most gas use. The $800 rebate is meant to help with gas and water costs too, but it is credited through your electricity account.
The ACT is moving off gas. Since 8 December 2023, new gas network connections have been blocked in residential, commercial and community zones, so new homes are built all-electric. Homes that already have a gas meter can keep using it, and the ACT Government plans to phase out fossil fuel gas as part of electrifying Canberra by 2045. If you are replacing a gas heater or hot water system, the Sustainable Household Scheme below can help fund an electric one.
Solar and batteries in the ACT
Feed-in tariffs in the ACT are voluntary and not regulated. Retailers set their own rates, so compare the feed-in rate alongside the usage rates. The old ACT premium feed-in scheme closed to new entrants in 2011.
The ACT Government's Sustainable Household Scheme offers loans of $2,000 to $20,000 at 3% interest over up to 10 years for batteries, heat pumps and other upgrades. Concession card holders can get zero-interest loans and rebates through the Home Energy Support Program.
Where to complain
The ACT is under the National Energy Retail Law. If your retailer does not resolve a complaint, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) handles energy and water complaints, and does not charge a fee for them.
General information only. We don't compare every provider or plan in the market, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.
What to watch for
- If your bill shows ActewAGL's standard retail contract, you are on the regulated standing offer. A market offer is usually cheaper.
- Winter bills drive Canberra costs. Compare plans on a full year's usage, not a summer bill.
- The $800 rebate is applied through your retailer; give your card details again when you switch.
- Feed-in tariffs are unregulated in the ACT. Check the rate and any daily cap before choosing a solar plan.
Common questions
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in Canberra?
It depends on your usage and the plans available when you compare. ActewAGL's regulated standing offer is a ceiling rather than a benchmark for good value; most market offers, from ActewAGL or competitors, are cheaper. Compare them on Energy Made Easy using your annual kWh.
Is Origin or ActewAGL better?
Neither is better for every household. What matters is the type of plan: ActewAGL's standing offer is the regulated default, while ActewAGL, Origin and other retailers all sell market offers, which the ICRC says tend to be cheaper. Compare the market offers from each on Energy Made Easy using your own usage, and check the conditions on any discount.
How much did ACT electricity prices change on 1 July 2026?
ActewAGL's regulated standing offer prices rose 2.7% on average, about $64 a year for a household using 6,500 kWh. Market offer prices are set by each retailer.
How much is the ACT energy rebate?
The Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate is $800 for 2026-27 for eligible concession card holders, credited daily on your electricity bill at a higher rate in winter.
Can I still get gas connected in Canberra?
In most cases, no. Since 8 December 2023 the ACT has blocked new gas network connections in residential, commercial and community zones. Homes that already have a gas meter can keep using it.
Is there a minimum solar feed-in tariff in the ACT?
No. Feed-in tariffs in the ACT are voluntary and not regulated, so each retailer sets its own rate.
Who owns ActewAGL?
ActewAGL is a joint venture between Icon Water, which is owned by the ACT Government, and AGL.
Compare every ACT plan
Energy Made Easy lists every generally available electricity and gas plan in the ACT, including ActewAGL's market offers and those of competing retailers.
Further reading
Retailer profiles for the ACT
Retailers we have profiled that sell to households in the ACT. This is not the full list of retailers licensed there; the government comparator shows every generally available offer.