Understanding your electricity bill
There are various components that make up an electricity bill from your retailer.
Find the following components and mark them on your bill with the corresponding number:
1. Account summary: summary of your electricity charges. It can include the amount you owe, amounts you have recently paid, overdue amounts, adjustments, and discounts and rebates.
2. Connection information (NMI): Your bill contains information about the electricity connection at your address and when your meter is read. You usually receive your bill a few days after your meter is read. A National Meter Identifier (NMI) is a unique 10 or 11-digit number assigned to the electricity connection at your address. In Queensland, it starts with QB.
Your NMI isn’t the same as your electricity meter number(s). Your electricity meter number will also appear on your bill but in the meter readings section (Number 9 on this list).
3. Payment information: Your retailer will usually have several ways that you can pay your bill. Some payment options will incur an additional fee, so make sure you read the fine print and understand the conditions for each option.
4. Tariff or plan name: This is the name of the tariff or plan you are on. Different retailers may use the same term to mean different things, or different terms to mean the same thing, so be sure to understand what type of tariff it is. This is also where your discount will appear if you receive any.
5. Retailer’s contact details: Your retailer is the company that bills you for your electricity. If you have a question about your electricity bill or contract, you should contact your retailer
6. Your retailer may have a better offer: Your retailer has an obligation to communicate if they have a more affordable plan than the current one you are on. They will often calculate how much you could save by switching to a different plan or tariff. Click here to find out how to get a better deal
7. Changing retailer: Some retailers will provide the website address for Energy Made Easy. Energy Made Easy is where you can compare all retailers’ offers and potentially find a more affordable plan. You can even ask your retailer for a better deal that’s not listed to match competitor deals that are listed. Click here to find out how to get a better deal
8. Distributor details: Some retailers will show your distributor’s name and contact details. Other retailers show the distributor’s phone number as the ‘faults and emergencies’ contact number. Your distributor owns the poles and wires that connect you to the electricity network. Contact your distributor for any electricity faults or emergencies. In Queensland, it could be Energex, Ergon or Essential Energy.
9. Meter Readings: Your bill will usually show you a breakdown of your usage based on the meter readings. This section will show your meter(s) number(s). Your usage is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or kilowatts (kW).
A is for 'actual', which means this usage was recorded from a meter read.
E or similar means 'estimate', and that means your meter could not be read and the usage has been estimated for this bill. You should contact your retailer to find out why the read was estimated and how you can have this corrected.
You can submit your own meter reading to either your retailer or distribution network. The people who attempted to read your meter(s) may leave a card in your letter box with the details on how to do so.
10. Rates and charges or tariffs: Electricity usage is usually charged at a rate of cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh) or cents per maximum kilowatts used at any one time during the peak period (c/kW/day). Your bill will show you the individual rates you pay for the electricity you use, and the total dollar amount.
Fixed charge: Also known as ‘daily supply charge’, this is an amount you pay for each day in your billing period regardless of how much electricity you use. This is the charge for supplying electricity to your property. The unit for this is c/day.
Usage: Also called the ‘variable amount’ or ‘consumption’. The usage information you see will depend on the type of electricity meter you have and the type of plan you are on.
Flat and Time-of-Use. The unit for this is c/kWh.
Demand. The unit for this is c/kW/day.
Controlled load: If you see ‘controlled load’ on your bill, it means electricity usage for one of your appliances, such as a hot water service or pool pump, is charged at a different rate to your general usage. These rates are usually lower as they only apply to appliances that run overnight or in off-peak times.
Usage. The unit for this is c/kWh.
It may also have a fixed charge. The unit for this is c/day.
Solar feed-in tariffs: If you have solar panels connected and are on a solar plan, your bill will detail any amounts you receive from either the government solar feed-in or retailer schemes you are eligible for. These amounts will appear as credits (money paid back to you) on your bill.
Fed to the grid. The unit for this is c/kWh (as negative or credit)
It may also have a fixed charge. The unit for this is c/day.
Click here for more information on tariffs and how to choose one
11. Cost breakdown: All the charges and credits are summed up to the total for this bill
12. Concessions: If you are receiving a government energy concession, the concession amount will be displayed as a credit (an amount paid back to you) on your bill. Watch for this disappearing in case the concession is dropped without notice.
13. Hardship: If you are having difficulty paying your electricity and/or gas bills, various options are provided to support with bill payments. All retailers must follow the Australia Energy Regulator’s Customer Hardship Policy Guideline (the Guideline): https://www.aer.gov.au/industry/registers/resources/guidelines/customer-hardship-policy-guideline
14. Complaints: If you cannot resolve your issues with your retailer, this is where you will find the number for the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ).
Other useful information
Retailers will also include information on your bill, about how your usage has changed over time. This is usually a graph of your consumption over a year. Keep in mind that if your bills were based on several estimated meter readings, then this graph will not be accurate.
Some retailers provide usage comparison. This can be a graph or table of your electricity usage compared to other households in your area (not mandated any more).
To compare offers from all retailers, head to the Energy Made Easy website with your NMI number. No other comparison website will be as accurate or guarantee your data privacy.