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Updated October 2020

Want to make sure you're on the best plan? Have a look at the answers to these common questions.

Victorian Energy Fact Sheets

The Government price comparison web-site, Victorian Energy Compare, is always a good place to go if you’re looking for the best value energy plan.

From 1 July 2019, you’ve had access to standard fact sheets for you to compare different energy plans, to make it easier to compare apples with apples.

How can I use this tool?

All energy retailers will make the fact sheets easy to find online, and send you one within five days if you ask for one.

The Best Offer Notice

From 1 July 2019, a box should have started to appear close to the “Amount Due” figure on your bills, along with these words:

‘Could you save money on another plan? Based on your past usage, our [plan name] may cost you up to $X less per year than your current plan.’

How do I use this new tool?

When you receive a best offer message and decide you want to take up the offer, you’ll need to contact your retailer to ask to be put on that deal. If you don’t, you’ll remain on your current energy plan.

If you’re already on the best offer your retailer has for you, it will confirm that in the message and direct you to Victorian Energy Compare where you can compare your plan with plans at other retailers.

Unfortunately, if you live in an embedded network you will not receive best offer messages.

What else can I do?

Remember, you can look for a better plan anytime by visiting the Government price comparison website, Victorian Energy Compare.

The Bill Change Notice

If the rates of your energy plan are about to change, or if your discount is about to expire, your retailer will write to you to give advance notice of the change at least five business days before it happens.

In the same notice it will also be required to provide you with a best offer message.

How do I use this new tool?

If you want to avoid a price change or find another offer with similar benefits you will need to contact your retailer, or another retailer and switch plans.

Again, residents in embedded networks will not receive bill change alerts.

Clear Advice

When you ring your retailer about changing plans, it must provide you with clear advice.

Clear advice means that if there are parts of an energy plan which you may have misunderstood or overlooked, your retailer will bring those things to your attention and make the costs clear.

Your retailer must examine your specific circumstances and energy usage and tell you if it has a plan which it thinks would be better for you, and why.

The Victorian Default Offer

The Victorian Default Offer, or ‘VDO’, as it will often be called is a new electricity plan where the price is set by the industry regulator instead of your electricity company. The VDO is designed to be a ‘fair’ price of electricity.

If you were on a standing offer on 1 July 2019, you will automatically be moved onto the VDO and will start paying less, straight away.

How do I use this tool?

The VDO will not necessarily be the cheapest offer in the market, but it may be less than the plan you’re currently on.

If you’re not on a standing offer but would like to be moved onto the VDO, you will need to request that your electricity retailer put you on the VDO. If your retailer is prepared to supply you with electricity, it must offer you the VDO.

If your retailer decides it no longer wishes to supply you with electricity, you can go to another retailer called the local area retailer.

You can find out who your local area retailer is by contacting your energy distributor. If you’re not sure who your energy distributor is you can find out here: energy.vic.gov.au/electricity/electricity-distributors.

Your local area retailer must provide you with the VDO, if you request it.

Please note, there is no VDO for gas (only electricity) and if you live in an embedded network and are not billed by a licensed retailer, you will not yet be able to access the VDO.

Table 1 – VDO Tariff rates for Residential customers (GST inclusive) applicable from 1 January 2020

Distribution zone Supply charge ($ per day) Usage charge structure Usage charge ($ per kWh) Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
Distribution zone
AusNet Services
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.1408
Usage charge structure
Block 1 (up to 1020kWh used in a quarterly period) Block 2 (balance of usage in a quarterly period)
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.3072 $0.3272
Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
Distribution zone
CitiPower
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.1309
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2517
Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
$0.1954
Distribution zone
Jemena
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.0431
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2787
Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
$0.2086
Distribution zone
Powercor
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.2619
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2640
Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
$0.2008
Distribution zone
United Energy
Supply charge ($ per day)
$0.9236
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2927
Usage charge controlled load ($ per kWh)
$0.2080

Table 2 – VDO Tariff rates for Small Business customers (GST inclusive) applicable from 1 January 2020

Distribution zone Supply charge ($ per day) Usage charge structure Usage charge ($ per kWh)
Distribution zone
AusNet Services
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.1408
Usage charge structure
Block 1 (up to 1020kWh used in a quarterly period) Block 2 (balance of usage in a quarterly period)
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.3407 $0.3795
Distribution zone
CitiPower
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.3386
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2667
Distribution zone
Jemena
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.1816
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2904
Distribution zone
Powercor
Supply charge ($ per day)
$1.3898
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.2619
Distribution zone
United Energy
Supply charge ($ per day)
$0.9863
Usage charge structure
Anytime
Usage charge ($ per kWh)
$0.3004