Western Australia

Understanding the Energy Market in Western Australia

Are you relocating to Western Australia? Read our guide to learn more about accessing electricity providers in Perth and other areas in WA.


How do you access electricity providers in Perth?

Connecting your home to an electricity provider in Australia is a relatively easy task. However, the process is run a little differently if you’re based in Western Australia (or the Northern Territory). Western Australia implements their own electricity system and follows a different set of regulatory requirements. For instance, your residential area and annual energy consumption determine the electricity provider that you can select for your property. Keep reading to learn how the electricity market operates in Perth and its surrounding areas.

The South West Interconnected System

The electricity market in Western Areas is divided into the following areas:

  • The South West region
  • The North West region
  • The South region
  • The North region
  • The Gascoyne/ Midwest region

Most consumers in these areas are limited in their energy supplier choice, except for the South West region. As the most populated area in Western Australia, those living in the South West region rely on The South West Interconnected System (SWIS), a central system of power stations directly connected to the National Electricity Market in Western Australia.

The difference between contestable and non-contestable consumers

The Western Australian energy market is divided into contestable and non-contestable consumers. Contestable consumers get to choose their electricity provider, while non-contestable consumers are only permitted to acquire all their electricity needs from a government-owned company, Synergy.

IIf your property is located within the SWIS region and uses less than 50-megawatt hours of electricity every year, you’ll naturally fall into the non-contestable category. With an average household consumption of 6-megawatt hours annually, most residential and small business customers in the SWIS area are non-contestable.

Selection of electricity providers for contestable consumers

If you live outside the SWIS area or spend more than $15,000 on your electricity usage per annum, you’re allowed to choose from the following electricity providers:

  • Advanced Energy Resources Retail
  • Amanda Energy
  • Alinta Energy
  • A-Star
  • Blue Star Energy
  • Clear Energy
  • Delorean Corporation Energy Retail Division
  • Horizon Power
  • Kleenheat
  • Perth Energy
  • Synergy

Electricity costs in Western Australia

The government of Western Australia is responsible for regulating the electricity costs for regular households, small businesses and some large businesses. This policy means that most electricity usage is charged with similar prices. In addition, Western Australia is the only state that offers government-funded concession for electricity bills, which is available for:

  • Pensioners or those who receive social security payments
  • People who receive the carer payment or disability support pension
  • People with a Commonwealth health care card
  • People with a Veteran Gold Card from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs


You can always access a list of rebate and concession programs for household bills and appliances in Western Australia to work out if you’re eligible for any of them. Alternatively, you can check with your electricity provider if you’re entitled to a concession, as the rules may vary for different providers.

Get in touch with HOOD for your electricity needs

Enjoy free, speedy and straightforward electricity services when you choose HOOD as your agent. You can simply use our AI-powered chatbot on Facebook Messenger to plan and arrange an electricity connection to your property. We have partnered with reliable electricity providers in Australia, so you can rest assured that you’re getting a plan that caters to your budget and all your electrical needs. In addition, we also offer urgent electricity services for those who need immediate assistance with electricity connection in their home.

 

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