Regional electricity support packages

Around 30,000 regional Queensland businesses are supplied electricity under obsolete electricity tariffs.

In 2012, the Queensland Competition Authority started phasing out these obsolete tariffs as they are not cost reflective, and set an original phase-out date of 30 June 2020.

In response to stakeholder concerns, the Queensland Government has extended the phase out date for obsolete tariffs for a further 12 months, until June 2021.

This extension is allowing regional businesses more time to understand and adjust to new tariff structures currently under development by Ergon Energy, which are due to be introduced from 1 July 2020.

Affected customers should contact Ergon Energy Retail who will provide a free tariff comparison and discuss options to prepare for the transition.

Programs and initiatives

We are investing up to $30 million across a range of programs and initiatives to ensure businesses are better equipped to understand their electricity use and minimise their electricity costs.

This work includes:

• agricultural tariff initiative—monitoring tariff impacts for small agricultural customers
• energy savers program—providing free energy audits and co-contribution grants for regional Queensland large business customers
• large customer adjustment trial—free energy audits and co-contribution grants for large electricity customers in regional Queensland
• free digital meters for large electricity customers in regional Queensland without demand capable meters
• energy audit advice and information—energy audits and free digital meters for small regional businesses
• business tariff information upgrade—raising the profile of tariff comparison tools and information, including Ergon Energy's My Account for business.