ACCC
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Find out more here ACCC
AER
The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) works to make all Australian energy consumers better off, now and in the future. They regulate electricity networks and covered gas pipelines, in all jurisdictions except Western Australia. They set the amount of revenue that network businesses can recover from customers for using these networks. Find out more here AER
Basic Plan Information Document
A document that contains key information on an energy plan.
Benefit Period
Also called fixed benefit period. The set time you get a particular benefit under the energy contract. For example, a discount for the first 12 months of the contract. There may be an exit fee if you end the contract during the benefit period. You can contact your retailer to find out if this applies to your contract.
Conditional Discount
A discount you might get on your energy bill if you do what you agreed to do. For example, you agreed you will pay the full amount of your bill on time and you do—you will get the pay on time discount.
Consumption Charge
Also called variable charge or usage charge. This is the cost of the electricity or gas you use.
Contract Term
Also called fixed term (except where the price is fixed) or contract length. An offer with a contract term means a market retail contract that has a term or condition that specifies: the end date of the contract, or a way to calculate the contract end date from when the contract starts.
Controlled Load
A tariff you pay for some appliances, like: slab or underfloor heating, or electric hot water systems. The retailer charges a rate just for that appliance and the energy it uses. Controlled rates are usually lower.
Cooling Off Period
By law, you have a 10 business day cooling off period if you sign up to a new energy contract to: cancel the contract and not pay any exit fees.
Demand Charge
A plan with demand charges has these fees added on top of the standard usage and daily supply charges. Demand (measured in kilowatts, kW) is a measure of how intensely you use electricity at a point in time, instead of your usage over time. Plans with demand charges aim to encourage customers to use less electricity in peak times.
Detailed Plan Information Document
A document that contains detailed information about an energy plan.
Distributor
An electricity or gas distributor owns the power lines, poles and gas pipes that supply electricity and gas to your home or business. They also own and read your electricity and gas meters. Contact your distributor for questions about: your electricity and gas meters power lines and gas pipes to your property if your gas or electricity supply stops, for example, because of broken pipes or fallen power lines.
Energy Ombudsman
The energy ombudsman: is run by the government helps customers to resolve problems with an energy retailer or distributor.
Energy Rating Label
Many gas and electricity appliances have a red and yellow energy rating label on them. The label gives you an idea of how energy efficient the appliance is. The label lets you compare the energy efficiency of similar appliances, for example, two different TVs. The more stars, the better the energy efficiency. Find out more here.
Energy Retailer
The company you pay for the gas and/or electricity you use. Some customers have the same retailer for both electricity and gas. Before they can sell energy, retailers must have a retail authorisation. This means they can buy electricity and gas from generators (for electricity) and producers (for gas) through wholesale markets. Retailers then sell the energy to you. Contact your retailer for questions about: getting electricity or gas to your house or business your electricity and gas service, including bills and sale.
Energy Star
Some appliances have a blue ENERGY STAR® label. The label is based on a US system to help consumers identify energy efficient appliances. It is voluntary in Australia, so keep in mind the label doesn’t always let you know what the most efficient appliance is. This is because it isn’t always on similar appliances.
Exempt Seller
An exempt seller is different to a normal electricity or gas retailer. Exempt sellers buy the electricity and/or gas from an electricity or gas retailer and resells it to customers in multi-dwelling premises, such as an apartment building, shopping centre, caravan park or retirement village.
Exit Fee
Also called a cancellation fee, termination fee or early termination fee. The fee you might have to pay if you want to get out of your contract early.
Feed-in Tariff
The price that customers get for the solar energy their solar panels put into the electricity grid. The price depends on the state or territory you live in and the contract with your retailer.
Generally Available Plan
An electricity or gas plan that is: available to most residential and/or small business customers, and in a set distribution zone, and with the appropriate meter set-up. Restricted plans are different. For example, plans available only to staff members of a particular employer.
GreenPower
An Australian Government renewable energy accreditation scheme. It lets electricity retailers buy renewable energy for you or your business.
Generator
A company that produces electricity or gas. Electricity is produced: in power stations, using either fossil fuels (such as coal or gas), or with renewable energy sources (such as wind, water or the sun). Natural gas is taken from underground, and then processed in production plants.
Guaranteed Discount
Also called unconditional discount, base discount or non-conditional discount. A discount that you receive automatically when you sign up to a plan.
Hardship Program
A program to help residential customers who are having difficulty paying their electricity and/or gas bills. All retailers must have a customer hardship policy.
Incentive
An incentive is a benefit to the customer other than a discount, including non-price benefits, one-off price benefits or physical gifts that are provided to a customer upon entry to a contract..
Kilojoule (KJ)
A measure of gas equal to 1000 joules.
Kilowatt (kW)
A measure of electricity equal to 1000 watts.
Kilowatt Hour (hWh)
A measure of electricity equal to 1000 watt hours. It is the unit measure used on your electricity bill.
Liquefied Natural Gas
Liquefied natural gas is bottled gas.
Market Contract
See market retail contract.
Market Retail Contract
Also called a market contract. A contract for electricity or gas that includes terms and conditions not included in standard contracts. For example, some might offer discounts on their rates. The tariff rates in market retail contracts are set by energy retailers.
Meter Reading
Electricity and gas meters show how much electricity and/or gas has been used. They are read by meter readers (employed by distributors) and this information is used for billing purposes. If you have a smart meter for your electricity, the meter reading is sent to your electricity distributor automatically.
Megajoule (MJ)
A measure of gas equal to one million joules. It is the unit measure used on your gas bill.
Megawatt (MW)
A measure of electricity equal to one million watts.
Megawatt Hour (MWh)
A measure of electricity equal to one million watt hours.
No Contact List
A way to stop receiving telephone calls or visits from energy retailers about switching contracts.
Off-peak Tariff
A cheaper price for electricity. Off-peak times are when the demand for electricity is at its lowest. These tariffs can be available: for all electricity you use as part of a time of use tariff or for a particular appliance only (see controlled load).
Ombudsman
The energy ombudsman: is run by the government helps customers to resolve problems with an energy retailer or distributor.
Ongoing Contract with Benefit Period
A contract that continues at the end of the benefit period, unless cancelled by the customer or retailer.
Payment Plan
An arrangement between a retailer and a customer to help the customer pay their electricity and/or gas bills.
Pre-payment Electricity Meter
A way customers can buy electricity credits and transfer them to their home meter either with a smart card, token, electronic ticket or keypad.
Pre-payment Meter Contract
For customers with a pre-payment electricity meter.
Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
Solar panels that customers can install to generate electricity.
Regulated Offer Contract
A gas or electricity contract offered by a ‘regulated retailer’ under a regulated contract (also called a standard contract). Only available in New South Wales.
Renewable Energy
Energy from natural sources, such as the sun, water, and the heat from the earth (geothermal energy).
Retailer
See Energy Retailer.
Single Rate Tariff
Also called flat rate, standard rate or anytime rate. The same rate for energy applies whatever time of day you use energy. The rate is usually lower than the peak rate of a time of use tariff.
Small Business
Under national energy laws, a small business is a business using less than a nominated amount of gas and electricity. These laws currently apply in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
Solar Contract
The contract a customer enters into with an electricity retailer when they: install a solar power system, and are connected to the main electricity grid.
Solar Power
The electricity made from solar panels.
Standard Contract
See standing offer.
Standing Offer
Also called a standard contract. A basic plan for electricity and gas. The law sets the terms and conditions that are designed to protect the rights of residential and small business customers. You might be on a standing offer if you have: been in the same location for several years, and never taken up a market retail plan.
Supply Charge
Also called a fixed charge, service charge (sometimes called a service to property charge) or standing charge. This is the cost to get electricity or gas to your house or business, even if you don’t use any.
Switching
When a customer signs up to a new plan for their electricity and/or gas supply, usually with a different energy retailer.
Tariff
The price of electricity or gas under an energy plan. The tariff includes two parts: Supply charge (also called the service charge or fixed charge), and Usage charge (also called the consumption charge or variable charge).
Tariff Blocks
Some energy plans split your energy usage into different tariff blocks. This means you pay: one rate or cost for the first part of your usage, then a different rate or cost for the next part of your usage. There might be more rates too for more blocks. Blocks can apply to: daily monthly, or quarterly usage.
Time of Use Tariff
A type of tariff which charges customers different rates for electricity depending on when it is being used. The different times are often called: peak shoulder, and off-peak.
Usage
The amount of electricity or gas you use. Also called consumption.
Usage Charge
Also called a variable charge or consumption charge.
Variable Charge
Also called a usage charge or consumption charge.