Electricity · default offers 2026-27 · in effect 1 July 2026
The 1 July electricity price reset: default offers for 2026-27
From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 the regulators' default offers put a household's electricity bill between $1,481 (CitiPower) and $2,604 (Essential Energy) a year at each network's benchmark usage; today's cheapest published plan is below it on 10 of 10 networks, by most on Endeavour Energy ($900 a year).
Default Market Offer: NSW, South East Queensland, South Australia
Set by the Australian Energy Regulator for households on standing offers, and the price every market offer is compared against. Flat rate, GST included, at the AER's benchmark usage for each network. Draft 19 March 2026, final 26 May 2026.
| Network | Default Market Offer 2026-27 | Change | Today's cheapest at the same usage | Gap a year | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid NSW | $1,899 at 3,900 kWh | -$66 (-3.4%) | Tango Energy Everyday Easy $1,014 of 292 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $885 under | Go to Tango Energy |
| Endeavour Energy NSW | $2,328 at 4,900 kWh | -$83 (-3.4%) | Dodo Solar Sharer Offer $1,428 of 341 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $900 under | Go to Dodo |
| Essential Energy NSW | $2,604 at 4,600 kWh | -$137 (-5%) | Tango Energy Everyday Easy $1,868 of 372 plans, read 2026-11-06 | $736 under | Go to Tango Energy |
| Energex QLD | $1,988 at 4,600 kWh | -$155 (-7.2%) | AGL Residential Three for Free $1,210 of 334 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $778 under | Go to AGL |
| SA Power Networks SA | $2,334 at 4,000 kWh | +$33 (+1.4%) | iO Energy Sustainable Home (Electrify) $1,552 of 241 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $782 under | Go to iO Energy |
Source: AER, Default market offer prices 2026-27: Final determination, Tables 2.1 and 2.2, published 2026-05-26, read 2026-11-06. Change is against 2025-26, nominal, as the AER prints it. Time-of-use figures and small business prices are in the same tables; small business at 10,000 kWh: Ausgrid $4,523, Endeavour Energy $4,343, Essential Energy $5,517, Energex $3,849, SA Power Networks $5,162.
Victorian Default Offer
Set by the Essential Services Commission. Flat tariff, GST included, at 4,000 kWh a year for a household. Draft 12 March 2026, final 20 May 2026. Victorian average $1,591, -$84 (-5%).
| Network | Victorian Default Offer 2026-27 | Change | Today's cheapest at the same usage | Gap a year | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AusNet Services VIC | $1,748 at 4,000 kWh | -$160 (-8%) | Dodo Power & Gas Real Deal - Time of Use $1,158 of 326 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $590 under | Go to Dodo Power & Gas |
| CitiPower VIC | $1,481 at 4,000 kWh | -$65 (-4%) | GloBird Energy GloBird FULLHOUSE Residential (Flat Rate With Controlled Load)-Citipower $1,010 of 322 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $471 under | Go to GloBird Energy |
| Jemena VIC | $1,563 at 4,000 kWh | -$75 (-4%) | 1st Energy 1st Emerald, Residential - Time of Use $1,047 of 322 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $516 under | Go to 1st Energy |
| Powercor VIC | $1,633 at 4,000 kWh | -$70 (-4%) | 1st Energy 1st Emerald, Residential - Time of Use $1,121 of 323 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $512 under | Go to 1st Energy |
| United Energy VIC | $1,529 at 4,000 kWh | -$50 (-3%) | GloBird Energy GloBird FULLHOUSE Residential (Flat Rate With Controlled Load)-United Energy $1,020 of 322 plans, read 2026-11-08 | $509 under | Go to GloBird Energy |
Source: Essential Services Commission, Regulator reduces Victorian default electricity prices (media release), published 2026-05-25, read 2026-11-06; dates from the ESC's 2026-27 review page. Small business at 10,000 kWh: AusNet Services $3,896, CitiPower $3,033, Jemena $3,488, Powercor $3,357, United Energy $3,124.
Today's cheapest is the lowest estimated bill among the plans retailers publish to the regulator's feed for the network, at the same usage as the default offer, with conditional discounts excluded and GST as published; the retailer's quote for your address is the price. The cheapest can be a time-of-use plan, which costs more if most of your power is used in the evening peak; the default offer here is the flat rate. Gap is the default offer less twelve months of that estimate.
The next cycle: 2027-28
Default offers for 2027-28 are not set yet. The dates below are the regulators' own, or the 2026-27 cycle's carried forward where marked expected.
Expected in final form in May 2027, for 1 July 2027. Last cycle: AER final 26 May 2026, ESC final 20 May 2026.
| When | What | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2026 | AER final DMO guidelines (they shape the 2027-28 determination) | The AER: "We must publish the final DMO guidelines by 1 December 2026." Source |
| March 2027 · expected | AER draft Default Market Offer for 2027-28 | Carried from the last cycle: the 2026-27 draft determination was published 19 March 2026. Source |
| March 2027 · expected | ESC draft Victorian Default Offer for 2027-28 | Carried from the last cycle: the 2026-27 draft decision was published 12 March 2026. Source |
| May 2027 · expected | ESC final Victorian Default Offer for 2027-28 | Carried from the last cycle: the 2026-27 final decision was published 20 May 2026. Source |
| May 2027 · expected | AER final Default Market Offer for 2027-28 | Carried from the last cycle: the 2026-27 final determination was published 26 May 2026. Source |
| 1 July 2027 | Default Market Offer and Victorian Default Offer 2027-28 take effect | Each determination applies from 1 July to 30 June. Source |
How many people at home?
Tap one to begin. Two more questions, your postcode and the bill, then every published plan on your network, cheapest first. Open the check
General information only, not advice. OpenStream sells nothing and is not an agent of any provider. Nothing here is a recommendation. Everything on this page is built from public sources - regulators, government bodies and the providers' own published material - each named and dated where it is used, so you can check it yourself. It does not take account of your circumstances. How OpenStream works · Corrections and complaints