Pros
- No extra fees for credit card payments
Cons
- Uses unreliable conditional discounts and rebates for lower prices
- Poor environmental record: high historical emissions, ownership by Shell, and zero GreenPower options
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1st Energy at a glance
1st Energy review: Our verdict
Although 1st Energy does have competitive prices, these are mostly the result of conditional discounts and rebates.
These kinds of discounts (for example, a 10% pay on time discount) aren't great because:
- Other providers often provide the same discounts with no strings attached.
- Missing a payment could cause your bill to skyrocket and also result in you being slugged with a late payment fee.
If you're shopping around, you might prefer the certainty of a guaranteed discount instead.
That said, you might enjoy 1st Energy because:
- There are no lock-in contracts, so you can change providers or plans at any time with no penalties.
- Unlike many providers, you won't be charged an extra percentage fee for paying by credit card.
What's the catch?
- A poor environmental record, explained in How green is 1st Energy?"
Where is 1st Energy available?
1st Energy offers electricity plans in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and TAS. It also sells both power and gas plans in VIC.
Energy plans and annual cost estimates by state
We've put together a summary of 1st Energy's electricity and gas plans in each state (including annual bill estimates).
Electricity plans
| Plans | Difference from reference price | Annual bill estimates |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Energy | 7% less | $1,145 |
Estimated cost including GST for an average household using 3,900 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the Ausgrid network.
| Plans | Difference from reference price | Annual bill estimates |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Energy | 10% less | $1,175 |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 4,000 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the Citipower network.
| Plans | Difference from reference price | Annual bill estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Energy | Equal to | $1,343 |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 4,600 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the ENERGEX Ltd network.
| Plans | Difference from reference price | Annual bill estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Energy | Equal to | $1,540 |
Estimated cost including GST for an average household using 4,000 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the SA Power Networks - NSP network.
| Plans | Annual bill estimate |
|---|---|
| 1st Energy | $1,751 |
Estimated cost including GST for a household using 6,775 kWh yearly on a flat rate tariff in the TASNetworks.
Can I bundle gas and electricity with 1st Energy?
So long as you're a resident of Victoria, you can purchase both your gas and electricity plan from 1st Energy. However, there aren't any discounts offered for doing so.
Solar Energy
Does 1st Energy offer solar plans?
1st Energy sells dedicated solar plans for customers who have solar panels, although it won't help you with the solar installation process.
Beyond that, it offers feed-in tariffs on all of its plans for customers who export solar power to the grid.
How good is the feed-in tariff?
1st Energy has below-average tariffs across the board by 1-2c/kWh, particularly low in VIC, NSW and QLD. Only in SA does 1st Energy have a tariff that's about 0.5c/kWh higher than average.
Here's a breakdown of 1st Energy's feed-in tariffs for each state. The tariffs listed below are for non-solar plans – hopping on a dedicated solar plan pays an extra 5c/kWh for each unit of solar energy exported.
- Watch out for: While the dedicated solar plans pay an extra 5c/kWh on top of the tariffs listed below, you'll also be charged much higher rates for the power you buy from the grid. Whether a dedicated solar plan is cheaper for you will depend on your usage habits.
- NSW: 6c/kWh
VIC: 6.7c/kWh
QLD: 6c/kWh
SA: 8c/kWh
TAS: 6.5c/kWh
Green Energy
How green is 1st Energy?
1st Energy doesn't score too well in the green energy department and is a poor choice for the environmentally minded.
There are a number of reasons for this:
- 1st Energy was acquired by Shell Energy Australia (a major fossil fuel user) in 2019.
- It came last out of 30+ Australian energy providers in the 2018 Green Electricity Guide.
- There are no GreenPower options with 1st Energy or other renewables promises/programs in evidence with their energy plans.
Customer service
When it comes to customer call time and complaints, 1st Energy sits just slightly above the market average.
Useful data from the 2019-2020 market report from the Australian Energy Regulator gives an idea of 1st Energy's customer support. Here's how 1st Energy performed (roughly average compared to other minor providers):
| 1st Energy | Market Average | Major provider average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average call wait time | 63 seconds | 53 seconds | 99 seconds |
| Calls abandoned before being answered | 7% | 9% | 6% |
| Complaints (% of total customers) | 2% | 2% | 2% |
How can I get in touch with 1st Energy?
If you have a question or problem, you can reach 1st Energy through the following methods:
- Ring the customer service line between 8:30am – 6pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
- Send an email through to the support team if you don't mind a slower reply.
Looking to switch to 1st Energy?
If you're keen to switch to an energy plan with 1st Energy, you'll need to visit 1st Energy's website and sign up there. Once you've entered all your details, 1st Energy will get you connected.
- Based on new Australian legislation, it should only take 2 business days to switch over to 1st Energy from your previous provider once you're approved.
For more details, take a look at our guide on switching energy plans..
Important notes: The estimated price we show by default is based on a single rate tariff. On your bill, this might be known as a "peak tariff", "peak only" or an "anytime tariff". There are other tariff types available to customers and you may need to contact your provider if you are on these tariffs:
- Single rate with a controlled load
- Time of use
- Time of use with a controlled load
The price estimate should not be used as an official quote, but an indication of what your costs may be on the plan. It varies based on whether you provide us with your bill details. You can learn more here.
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