Compare Electricity, Gas & Solar Prices in Western Australia

The energy industry in Western Australia (WA) poses distinct challenges for energy providers, due to its extensive size, sparsely spread population, and unique regulatory environment.

While the electricity prices are kept manageable for you by the state government, the gas prices are set by the gas retailers.

WA’s Energy Landscape

The energy sector in Western Australia (WA) presents unique challenges compared to the eastern states. With a regulated electricity market, and a deregulated gas market it can be confusing to try and compare electricity and gas providers in WA. 

Gas Retailers in WA

Unlike the WA electricity market, WA's gas retailers are deregulated, allowing them to set their own prices, and giving you as a consumer more choice. 

ATCO operates gas distribution systems across WA, serving both residential and commercial customers. You can choose your gas provider, with some suppliers having specific usage requirements. Certain areas have a gas price cap for small-use customers.

WA providers that may be available (depending on your location): 

• AGL

• Alinta

• Kleenheat

• Origin Energy

• Perth Energy

• Synergy

Comparing Gas Offers and Contracts:

Depending on your location in WA, you may have multiple gas retailers to choose from, with each one offering various plans. Selecting the most suitable offer means understanding your usage patterns.

Off-peak use can lead to savings if your household activities line up with these cheaper usage periods. Conversely, opting for an energy contract that doesn’t fit with your lifestyle can result in higher costs to you.

Carefully review your terms and conditions before agreeing to a new contract. Ask about your daily supply charge, extra fees, included bonuses or savings, and any conditional discounts. 

Consumer protection laws require energy retailers to provide you with a printed summary of your contract. This is known as an energy price fact sheet, detailing all relevant information, and your retailer must send you one. This can be done by mail, or over email.

Electricity Retailers in WA:

In WA, the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) issues licences for various sectors, including electricity generation, transmission, distribution, retail, and integrated regional licences. Additionally, the ERA handles the issuance of gas trading and distribution licences.

Unlike other competitive markets in Australia, WA's electricity prices are regulated, ensuring uniform costs regardless of your geographical location within the state.

Your choice of WA electricity providers is limited by the contestable metre requirement.

Contestable metres allow you to choose your energy provider, primarily applicable outside the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) or for users consuming over 50 MWh annually. Western Power manages the electricity distribution network in SWIS, while Horizon Power covers areas outside SWIS.

The different geographic regions within WA have distinct electricity markets, including SWIS, Kimberly, Pilbara, Gascoyne and Mid West, and Goldfields-Esperance. WA providers that may be available (depending on your location):

• Advanced Energy Resources Retail,

• Alinta Energy

• Amanda Energy

• Change Energy

• Horizon Power

• Kleenheat

• Perth Energy

• Synergy

Important note: A review of WA’s regulatory framework for retail electricity licensing and exemption activities was completed in August 2023. This may impact the way WA’s electricity is regulated - and therefore billed to you as the end-user. 

Energy Concessions in WA

Various concessions are available in WA, including the:

• Energy Concession Extension Scheme

• Energy Assistance Payment

• Dependent Child Rebate

• Air Conditioning Rebate

• Household Electricity Credit

• Hardship Utility Grant Scheme

• Cost of Living Rebate

Find out more here.

Understanding your energy bill:

Your energy bill is made up of two main components. Understanding this makes it easier for you to accurately compare your energy provider against others.

• Your Daily Supply Charge (Service Charge): This is the fixed cost of delivering electricity or gas to your home, regardless of usage. This charge is either presented as a total amount, or in cents per day.

• Your Usage Charge: This is the variable cost based on the amount of electricity or gas used in your house. It’s expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh) for electricity or cents per megajoule (c/MJ) for gas.

Resolving Bill Issues and Financial Assistance

If you encounter discrepancies in your energy bill, your retailer must review it upon request. You have the right to escalate your dissatisfaction to the energy ombudsman in your state or territory. This is a free dispute resolution service. Each state and territory has an ombudsman’s office.

If you’re struggling with your energy costs, consider: 

• smaller regular payments, 

• utilising services like Centrepay (for Centrelink recipients), 

• discussing hardship policies with your energy retailer,

• switching to a better value plan with another energy provider.

If you receive a disconnection notice, contact your retailer promptly. Understanding your rights during protected periods can help safeguard your household from service disruptions.

Renewable Energy in WA

Renewable energy constituted 38% of the power generated in WA share in spring 2021. 

Wind power (52%), rooftop solar energy (41.4%), and large-scale solar (4.9%) all contribute to the renewable energy mix in WA.*

Solar Feed-in Tariffs and Billing

Solar feed-in tariffs are available under the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS).

How does WA compare to other states for electricity bills?

There’s less regulation among electricity providers in the rest of Australia, so there’s more competition which can be beneficial. However, because electricity prices are more volatile in the central and eastern states and territories, WA residents receive more consistent pricing – and most of the time they’re paying lower electricity bills than the rest of us. 

Energy price comparison tools and websites offer an overview of energy deals from different retailers across these other regions. As always, it’s smart to shop around.

Sources

Energy prices and regulation

Economic Regulation Authority.

Government of Western Australia. Household gas pricing.

Government of Western Australia – Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. Sustainably Renewable.

Atco. WA Gas Network For additional resources, explore the Energy Made Easy website and government-provided tools here

This guide is opinion only and should not be taken as financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.

Paul Coughran is the General Manager of Emerging Verticals at Compare Club. Paul has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Banking and Finance, Telecommunications and Energy. Paul leads a team of trusted experts dedicated to helping individuals make informed decisions about their insurance and utilities needs.

Meet our energy expert, Paul Coughran

Paul's top energy tips

• 1

  Australia’s top three energy companies still hold 64% of the total Australian market, even though competition was deregulated in 2017.

• 2

  If you don't shop around for energy providers, you’re probably leaving your savings on the table by failing to compare better value options.

• 3

  Most energy providers offer discounted rates for new customers, which is a strong incentive to switch.

• 4

  There should be no interruption when you switch energy providers. You'll need to pay a new company for your energy, but there won't be a disruption to your power supply.