Electricity and gas providers in Western Australia

Most residents of Western Australia can't choose their electricity providers, but they can switch gas suppliers.

The energy market in Western Australia, unlike most Australian states, has not been fully deregulated. Two companies sell most of Western Australia's domestic electricity: Synergy and Horizon Power. Which of the two sells you your electricity depends on where you live. For gas, on the other hand, Western Australians can choose between a number of providers including Alinta Energy, Kleenheat, AGL, Origin Energy and Perth Energy.

Who provides electricity in Western Australia?

The Western Australian electricity market is divided into the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), the North West Interconnected System (NWIS) and the Esperance System. Residents living within the SWIS have no choice in their energy retailer and must purchase electricity through Synergy. Outside the SWIS, customers are free to choose their energy retailer, although Horizon Power is currently the only retailer operating in many areas of the state.

• Synergy. The energy provider for customers within the SWIS, Synergy is Western Australia’s largest provider of gas and electricity. The company provides energy to more than one million residential, business and industrial customers in the state. It also generates its own power from a range of sources, including renewables and plays an active role in the Western Australian community.
• Horizon Power. Owned by the Western Australian state government, Horizon Power provides energy to residential customers outside the SWIS. Horizon Power is active in creating a more environmentally-friendly energy network and is working to generate more power from renewables and create a more efficient state.

Electricity pricing in Western Australia

As with your choice of energy retailer, how much you pay for your electricity in Western Australia depends largely on where you live. Residents within the SWIS who use less than 50 megawatt-hours of electricity a year are subject to government-regulated energy rates. Most households will not use more than 50 megawatt-hours a year and as such fall into this category.

WA residents using more than 50 megawatt-hours a year or those who live outside the SWIS have the ability to choose their electricity retailer and potentially negotiate lower rates than set by the government.

Who provides gas in Western Australia?

Consumers in Western Australia have had a choice of gas provider since 2013. The two largest providers are Kleenheat and Alinta, but WA residents can also choose to buy their gas through AGL, Perth Energy or Origin Energy.

Gas pricing in Western Australia

Gas pricing in Western Australia is regulated by the government, with a fixed cap preventing retailers from charging above a set price. Retailers can undercut this cap in an effort to beat out the competition, however, so it's worth shopping around to ensure you get the best deal.

Frequently asked questions about WA energy

• What if I can't pay my energy bills?

  If you're having trouble paying your energy bills, your energy retailer is required to provide assistance based on your financial situation. This assistance is contingent on you providing your energy retailer with proof that you are suffering from financial hardship. After verifying your situation, your energy retailer must offer you more time to pay your bill or allow you to pay off your bill in installments, the terms of which must be feasible given your financial capabilities.

  In severe cases of financial hardship, you may be eligible for the Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS) provided by the Western Australian government. This grant can cover up to 85% of your energy bill, with a maximum yearly cap of $538 for residents living south of Carnarvon and $891 for residents both in and north of Carnarvon. Exceptional circumstances may allow for an increase to these caps. To determine your eligibility and apply for the Hardship Utility Grant, you'll need to contact your energy retailer.

  The Western Australian government also provides a variety of concessions for select energy customers, including holders of Centrelink Health Care cards, Pensioner Concession cards and Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold cards. For more information on these concessions, you can contact your energy retailer.

• What is GreenPower?

  GreenPower is a government scheme that allows consumers to purchase renewable energy through their provider. Companies selling GreenPower need accreditation by the Australian government. Check out our guide to GreenPower for more information.

• What happens when I move to another state?

  If you are moving out of Western Australia you will probably have to switch energy providers. In deregulated states like NSW or Victoria you will have more energy choices.

  If your gas is supplied by Alinta Energy you may be able to stay with the company if moving to Victoria, NSW or South Australia.

• What is a cooling-off period?

  A cooling-off period is the time during which a customer can cancel an energy contract without any fee or penalty. In most cases the cooling-off period is ten days.

• What is a no lock-in contract?

  No lock-in contracts allow you to switch providers freely without incurring a penalty or fee.