FAQ

There could be several reasons why your electricity bill is higher than usual. These could be:

• Time of year (winter is always highest given the demand for heat and hot water)t)
• New charges added by provider
• An electric fault that you’re not aware of causing a rise in pricing
• Your consumption habits that you’re not fully aware of

When you look at your energy bills, you will notice several charges are combined to reach the total amount that you pay. It’s important that you understand each charge so that you can compare plans fairly.

• Supply Charge: The supply charge on your energy bill is the base cost for your retailer to supply energy to your home. This charge is a combination of a cost from the distributor, covering the cost of providing, maintaining and reading the customer’s electricity meter, as well as maintaining the distribution poles and wires which transport electricity to the customer’s property and a recovery of a portion of the retailer’s fixed operating costs.

• Demand charge: The demand charge is an additional fee charged for using power during the highest power demand times, usually between 3pm to 9pm on weekdays. This time period is referred to as ‘on-peak’. When you compare plans, make sure to look for a provider that offers a good off-peak rate, and if you can, try to consume energy during off-peak hours to reduce the cost of your energy bill.

• Distributor Charge: If you notice a distributor charge on your energy bill, this is due to actions outside the regular supply of energy to your home. A distributor charge is the cost of additional services such as same-day connections or emergency works.

• Consumption charge: The consumption charge is the total amount your retailer will charge you for the amount of energy consumed by your household or small business, based on your daily energy usage. This cost can vary depending on your plan and any discounts or special offers you are eligible for.

The National Electricity Market (NEM) has three types of meters for residential and small business customers: Basic, Interval and Smart. The different types of meters are governed by AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator) as outlined in Chapter 7 of the NER (National Electricity Rules).

• Basic electricity meter: The majority of residential and small business electricity consumers in Australia have their electricity use measured by Basic Accumulation meters that have limited functionality. This results in them having limited information from which to make informed decisions about their electricity usage and costs.
  There are two types of Basic meters – accumulation meters that measure only the total amount of electricity consumed over a period and are manually read by a meter reader, or Time of Use (ToU) meters that record total usage within set periods. These can be aligned to a Time of Use tariff to enable you to pay lower rates for your off-peak electricity usage.

• Interval Time of Use (ToU) meter: These meters record how much electricity is used every 30 minutes. This means you can have different electricity rates for usage at different times of the day, depending on the tariff you sign up to with your electricity retailer. Some of the benefits of interval meters include more detailed information on your energy use and the opportunity for pricing plans that provide incentives to reduce your demand for electricity during peak times. You can make some significant savings by choosing a plan with discounts for off-peak energy usage.

• Smart Meters, also known as Advanced Meters (AMI): Smart meters record customer usage and demand in real time and are remotely read in 30 minute intervals. Smart Meters can be linked to in-home devices so that you can make informed decisions about your electricity consumption.
  If you live in Victoria, you should by now have a smart meter as they are compulsory across the state and the roll-out is coming to an end.
  Because Smart meters record your electricity usage throughout the day, you can benefit from off-peak rates, so make sure you choose a retailer with a suitable plan. Off-peak rates can be substantially lower than on-peak rates, so your Smart Meter will let you see when you use the most electricity, so you can switch your usage habits to make use of the cheaper rates. This might include running your washing machine and dishwasher overnight or setting a timer on your cooling system.

If you’re not sure which type of meter you have, you can take a look at your electricity bill or give Utility Hub a call.

A smart meter is an electronic device which is more advanced than your traditional meter. It records information such as consumption of electricity, voltage levels, current, and power factors. More and more homes and buildings across Australia are being fitted with one. In Victoria, smart meters have become compulsory.

The truth of the matter is that plugged-in appliances can really drive up your electricity bill. Unplugging these makes a difference and might save you an extra $100 to $200 a year.

Some providers will offer you a discount if you bundle your gas and electricity services together on a plan with the one provider. Utility Hub can help you in finding the right bundled deal for you.

Electricity is one of the most widely used forms of energy. The electricity that you use is a secondary energy source. It is actually produced by converting primary sources of energy like coal, natural gas, nuclear energy, solar energy, and wind energy, into electrical power.

Most TVs today, given they are designed with a good energy rating, consume less than 5 watts a year in standby, which is a very small amount equal to a few dollars.

The $250 Power Saving Bonus is a one-off payment available just to eligible Victorian households to help cover the cost of their energy bills. Visit compare.energy.vic.gov.au between 1 February 2021 and 31 January 2022 to apply online. Only one payment will be paid per household.

• Victoria – 2002
• South Australia – 2003
• New South Wales – 2002/2003 (Elec and Gas. However, gas prices are regulated)
• Queensland 2007
• Tasmania – 2014
• NSW (Gas) – 2017

• Western Australia
• Northern Territory

Generators produce electricity from coal, wind, solar, hydro and nuclear.

It can be very tricky to accurately calculate how much data you will need to use. The below list gives an estimate of the amount of data used per hour for some of the most common internet uses and can be used to give you a guide of how much data your home or small business uses:

• Streaming services for movies and shows – approx 1GB per hour (up to 7 GB per hour for 4K)
• Music streaming services – approx 120 MB per hour
• Working from home – up to 20 GB per file download
• Social Media – approx 180 MB per hour
• Voice and Video calls – approx 36 MB per hour

Green energy is produced from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro.

You shouldn’t worry too much about data as most NBN plans come with unlimited data these days. Remember that if you don’t use more than 100GB or 200 GB a month, you could be able to save with a data-capped NBN plan.

If you have opted for a capped data plan and you exceed your data limit, there are several things that might happen. You need to review your plan to see what applies to you.

• Excess data fee: you will be charged a pre-agreed amount for every MB or GB you exceed your limit by.
• Slow down: after you exceed your limit your internet speed will slow down to a minimum, pre-agreed speed, but you won’t be charged anything.
• Connection outage: if you exceed your data cap, your internet may be cut off until the next billing cycle starts.

Signing up to a contract can offer you discounts on modems and ensure the cheapest NBN plan. The downside is that these contracts don’t offer you much flexibility. You should consider if your internet needs are likely to change, if you plan to move house or if your financial situation might change before signing up to any contracts. You should also carefully read the information your provider gives you about exit fees so you understand the risks involved in committing to a contract.

If you’ve had your existing modem for a while or you’re connecting to the NBN for the first time then chances are high that you’ll need a new modem. The technology in older versions of mobiles cannot provide the high speeds of the NBN and you are likely to encounter problems when you try to connect. If you are unsure if your modem is suitable for your new NBN plan, take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions on your provider’s website, or give them a call.

If you’re switching between NBN providers it’s best to stick to your current modem as it will save you money. To avoid delays, make sure you check with your new provider that your current modem will work with your new plan. To do this you will need the make and model number of your modem. You may be able to find the information on your provider’s website, or otherwise, it’s best to give them a call.

Distributors manage and maintain the poles, wires and pipes that deliver electricity to your home. Distributors are also responsible for some metering services. Smart meters can be read remotely.