Compare Electricity & Gas in Canberra and the ACT

To compare plans in the ACT, you should shop around for a cheaper plan, understand your property’s tariff and take advantage of available discounts.

• Look for a cheaper plan. There’s a range of energy providers and plans available in Canberra and the greater ACT area. If you haven’t shopped around recently or if you’re on a standing offer, you may find a plan that better suits your usage needs and budget by comparing.
• Understand your property’s tariff. The tariff you’re on will impact how your provider charges you for electricity or gas. Some tariffs (such as time-of-use tariffs) can help you to look at ways to optimise energy consumption during times when energy rates are the cheapest.
• Take advantage of discounts and incentives. If you haven’t updated your energy plan in a while, you may find that your plan benefits or discounts have expired, or you’ve rolled on to a standing offer plan. Comparing energy plans from a range of providers can help you keep on top of offers with attractive discounts, potentially saving you money in the long run.

The electricity market in the ACT works by being a deregulated market, which means consumers can choose their own energy provider. However, the ACT government provides a reference price each year that customers can use to compare retailers. Each electricity plan will have a percentage that shows how the plan relates to the reference price (e.g. 7% below the reference price).

Because customers in deregulated states and territories can choose their energy provider, these energy markets tend to see more competitive rates known as market offers. Market offers are usually more affordable than standing offers for regulated zones as they sometimes include discounts and a fixed price or price guarantee period or simply more competitive pricing and charges.

Simply put, this means that you have the freedom to compare energy providers in Canberra and the ACT and shop around for a plan that suits you on your terms.

The Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT) reference price is a price that helps customers identify potentially expensive energy costs by offering a benchmark based on a location’s average annual electricity usage.

While electricity providers in Canberra and the ACT can set their own usage and supply charges, they must disclose the price difference between the electricity plans they offer and the reference price.

The reference price applies to residential customers on flat or time-of-use tariffs regardless of whether there’s a controlled load tariff or not. For small business customers, it only applies to flat tariffs where prices for electricity supply don’t include controlled load tariffs.

Here are the 2026-2027 ACT reference prices:

New South Wales (NSW), South East Queensland (Qld) and South Australia (SA) have the Default Market Offer (DMO) instead, which is the comparison price set by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). In Victoria, they use the Victorian Default Offer (VDO).

Our energy comparison service can help you compare electricity and gas providers in Canberra, the ACT and beyond. Simply enter in a few details, like your energy usage and address, and within minutes you can compare electricity and gas plans in Canberra from a range of energy providers.

Below is a list of electricity retailers that Compare The Market can help you compare a range of plans from:

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• Energy Australia
• ENGIE
• LUMO Energy
• Origin Energy
• OVO Energy
• Red Energy

Note: Compare the Market does not compare energy products from all retailers on this list as we do not compare all brands in the market, or all products offered by all brands. Information about the partners we currently compare is available here.

Here are other electricity providers in QLD:

• ActewAGL
• Amber Electric
• CovaU Energy
• Energy Locals
• Nectr

The information provided above is based in the postcode of 2600 and is accurate as of 19 June 2026. Data sourced from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) energy made easy website.

Below are the duel fuel energy providers (offer both electricity and gas) in Canberra and ACT that Compare The Market can help you compare a range of plans from:

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• Energy Australia
• ENGIE
• LUMO Energy
• Origin Energy
• OVO Energy
• Red Energy

Note: Compare the Market does not compare energy products from all retailers on this list as we do not compare all brands in the market, or all products offered by all brands. Information about the partners we currently compare is available here.

Here are other electricity and gas providers in Canberra and ACT:

• ActewAGL
• CovaU Energy

The information provided above is accurate as of 19 June 2026. Data sourced from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) energy made easy website.

The cheapest electricity plan in Canberra and the ACT is Amber Electric’s Battery and Solar plan, costing $2,020 annually for a household of 2-3 people on a single rate tariff using 15 kWh a day.

When it comes to finding the cheapest electricity provider in Canberra and the ACT for you, it’s important to compare because the exact plans and providers available to you will depend on where you live, your meter type and more.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a table of the cheapest electricity from each provider in the ACT.

The prices and information provided above are based on a house with two to three adults with no electric heating, hot water or underfloor heating and in the postcode of 2600 and are accurate as of 19 June 2026. Data sourced from the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) energy made easy website. Plans and prices are subject to change.

Electricity and gas are charged in the ACT in two main ways: a fixed daily supply charge and a usage charge.

For electricity, the fixed daily supply charge is for the electricity distributed to your property. Meanwhile, a usage charge is for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of the electricity you use, which is charged as cents per kWh (c/kWh). The more electricity you use, the higher your electricity bill will be.

For gas, you’ll also pay a fixed daily supply charge and a usage charge for each megajoule of gas used, charged as cents per megajoule (MJ; c/MJ).

There are four tariffs in the ACT: single rate tariffs, time-of-use (TOU) tariffs, controlled load tariffs and demand tariffs.

Tariffs are the pricing structures that influence the way providers charge you for your energy usage.

• Single rate tariffs charge the same, flat rate for your energy usage no matter when or how you use electricity.
• Time-of-use (TOU) tariffs charge different electricity rates for your energy use throughout the day or day of the week. These times are generally known as peak, off-peak and shoulder. You’ll need a smart meter to take advantage of a TOU tariff plan.
• Controlled load tariffs charge a lower, off-peak rate for large household appliances (like underfloor heating or electric hot water systems) that usually run during the night or in off-peak periods, but your appliances will need to be wired into a separate meter.
• Demand tariffs are a separate charge on your bill that vary depending on the intensity you use electricity during certain demand periods. This charge is in addition to the daily supply and usage charges.

A solar feed-in tariff is a credit you may receive on your electricity bill for any excess energy your solar panels have generated, which can be sent back to the electricity grid.

So, if you have a solar power system for your house or business, you may find you end up generating more solar energy than you use – and you can receive a deduction for such.

Solar feed-in tariffs can vary between energy providers in Canberra, so always consider this when comparing ACT energy plans.

For ACT residents, the average electricity bill is $2,267 a year for those with an annual consumption of 6,500 kWh (based on the regulated benchmark price in the ACT for a flat rate tariff).¹

However, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars on your electricity bills if you switched to a market offer; the average market offer price is $1,967 on a single rate tariff and $1,960 on a time of use tariff.

It’s important to remember that the exact price of your electricity bill will vary depending on factors such as your tariff type, household size, energy plan, electricity usage and more. The figures above are an average only – the offers available to you may differ in price and your household’s annual consumption will vary.

The ACT offers an Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate (formerly known as the Utilities Concession)for eligible residents, which can help you save money and minimise your overall cost of living.²

You may be eligible for the Utilities Concession if you’re the primary holder of one of the following cards:

• Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card or Gold Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Low Income Health Care Card
• Health Care Card
• ACT Services Access Card.

The concession covers electricity, gas, water and sewage, and you can apply for it by simply contacting your energy provider.

Find out more about seniors energy rebates and concessions and other state-based rebates you may be eligible for.

To find a great energy deal in the ACT, you should compare the options available on the market. A great energy deal for you will depend on your financial circumstances, energy consumption habits and household. Every gas and electricity retailer offers varying rates, discounts, payment methods (including direct debit), exit fees (if any) and more.

There is no such thing as the ‘best’ energy plan. While the best deal for one person may be the cheapest plan, the best deal for someone else may be the most flexible.

Consider your personal circumstances while comparing energy plans. Our energy comparison service makes it easy to compare a range of energy suppliers and plans in the ACT. You can compare the estimated total costs, usage costs, daily supply charges and other fees.