Welcome to Victorian Energy Compare
An independent Victorian Government energy price comparison site
To get the most out of this tool, you need a recent energy bill or smart meter data file.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Victorian Default Offer is a fair price for electricity that all Victorian electricity retailers will be required to offer to households and small businesses from 1 July 2019. The Victorian Default Offer will replace costly standing offers. The Victorian Government is making the electricity market simpler and more affordable for all consumers.
The Victorian Default Offer for electricity will be available to all Victorian households from 1 July 2019, other than those living in a property serviced by an ‘embedded network’.
If you are living in an apartment block, retirement home or caravan park, you may be receiving electricity through an embedded network. You can check whether electricity at your address is supplied by an embedded network at this public register http://www.esc.vic.gov.au/energy-licence-exemptions.
Customers on simple standing offers will automatically be on the Victorian Default Offer on 1 July 2019. You can also opt-in to the Victorian Default Offer by asking your electricity retailer to move you onto the Victorian Default Offer from 1 July 2019. If you are unsure whether you are on a standing offer or not, call your retailer and ask about the Victorian Default Offer.
The Victorian Default Offer is a fair price for energy – but not necessary the best price. Victorian households can compare the tariffs on their electricity bill to those in the table below to decide whether the Victorian Default Offer may be better than their current deal. You can find your electricity distribution zone by inputting your address into this website https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/electricity/electricity-distributors.
From 1 July 2019, retailers will be required to inform customers on their electricity bill of their ‘best offer’ that suits a customer’s circumstances. Customers should contact their electricity retailer to ensure that the plan they are currently on suits their circumstances. From 1 July 2019 this could be the Victorian Default Offer, or it could be a different plan that offers a better deal.
The Victorian Government encourages customers to shop around, especially through the Victorian Energy Compare website, to find the best energy offers available that suit their circumstances.
Victorian Energy Compare is a government-operated website that helps households and small businesses find and compare the best energy offers. Visit compare.energy.vic.gov.au.
It is intended that the first Victorian Default Offer from July 2019 to January 2020 will be for flat tariffs and controlled load tariffs only. From 1 January 2020, the Victorian Default Offer will replace all standing offers.
The Victorian Government has set the Victorian Default Offer to apply from 1 July 2019. The government has tasked the independent state economic regulator, the Essential Services Commission, with annually setting the Victorian Default Offer starting from 1 January 2020.
The Victorian Default Offer is available to solar customers and does not affect feed-in-tariffs.
New rules have been in effect from 1 January 2019 that require retailers to provide assistance to all customers facing payment difficulty including tailored assistance specific to your circumstances to help you manage your bills.
Customers should contact their electricity retailer to ensure that the plan they are currently on suits their circumstances. From 1 July 2019 this could be the Victorian Default Offer, or it could be a different plan that offers a better deal.
The Department of Health and Human Services also provides resources for hardship customers on their website. Visit https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/energy.
We have answered common questions which small businesses may ask about the Victorian Default Offer. Visit https://energy.vic.gov.au/victoriandefaultoffer.
If we have not answered your question, or you would like further information on the Victorian Default Offer, contact the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning on 1800 000 VEC (832) or email us at retailmarket.reform@delwp.vic.gov.au.
The $250 Power Saving Bonus for Pensioner Concession recipients and some Health Care Card holders (including JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy recipients) is now available. Before submitting an application for the bonus, please read the eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
- You must be a Victorian residential energy consumer (i.e. have a residential electricity account).
- You must be receiving payments under one of the following concession programs:
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession
- JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy or Abstudy
- Department of Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession
- Or hold a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card
- Pension Concession Card holders who are not receiving payments, and Health Care Cards holders who are not receiving Youth Allowance, JobSeeker, Austudy or Abstudy payments, are not eligible.
The $250 Power Saving Bonus is a one-off $250 payment to provide direct support to vulnerable Victorian households experiencing energy bill stress due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The $250 Power Saving Bonus will be available to over 900,000 eligible Victorian households with at least one eligible concession cardholder. Eligible households can access the Power Saving Bonus by applying on this website or applying through a participating community organisation. The $250 Bonus will be available from 1 February 2021 to 31 January 2022 and will be limited to one payment per eligible household.
The $250 Power Saving Bonus program is now open. Eligible households can apply on this website or through a participating community organisation from 1 February 2021 until 31 January 2022.
The $250 Power Saving Bonus program is now open. Eligible households can apply on the Victorian Energy Compare website or through a participating community organisation from 1 February 2021 until 31 January 2022. There is no limit or cap on the number of payments available for eligible households and applications will stay open to 31 January 2022, but only one payment is available to each household.
To be eligible to apply for the $250 Power Saving Bonus, you must be able to meet the following eligibility requirements:
- You must be a Victorian residential energy consumer (i.e. have a residential electricity account).
- You must be receiving payments under one of the following concession programs:
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession
- JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy or Abstudy
- Department of Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession
- Or hold a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card
Pension Concession Card holders who are not receiving payments, and Health Care Cards holders who are not receiving Youth Allowance, JobSeeker, Austudy or Abstudy payments, are not eligible.
To apply for the $250 Power Saving Bonus, eligible households must apply on this website or through a participating community organisation from 1 February 2021 until 31 January 2022.
If you are having trouble submitting an application, the following support options may be able to help.
- Email: You can email our support team and they can help you navigate the online application process. They can be contacted at info.vec@delwp.vic.gov.au.
- Friends and family members: If someone you know has a computer with the internet, ask if you can visit them and use it to access Victorian Energy Compare.
- Online: You can get help in real time by using the Victorian Energy Compare website live chat function.
- Phone support: You can call 1800 000 VEC (832) to receive general support and assistance with the Victorian Energy Compare website and Power Saving Bonus program. If you don’t have internet or computer access, the helpline will also support you to submit an application over the phone.
Alternatively, you can call one of the community organisations the Victorian Government has partnered with through the Power Saving Bonus Community Outreach Program. The partners in that program which can also support you to submit an application over the phone include:
- Good Shepherd can be contacted on 1300 026 500
- National Debt Helpline - Consumer Action Law Centre can be contacted on 1800 149 689
- Brotherhood of St. Laurence (and partners Australian Energy Foundation, GV Community Energy and Uniting Vic.Tas) can be contacted on 1800 830 029.
- In-person support: The Power Saving Bonus Community Outreach Program also provides face-to-face support to some community members. The partners in that program which provide in-person support include:
- Neighbourhood House - you can drop into a local Neighbourhood House centre for more information or call 1300 026 500 to find the closest Neighbourhood House that is currently offering support.
- Consumer Policy Research Centre and Council of the Ageing are delivering workshops to support households over 65 years of age. Call COTA on 1300 135 090 to get more details on the locations.
- Ethnic Community Council Victoria are hosting a series of in-person events, call 9354 9555 to get more details.
Visit our Community Outreach page for more information on the range of support available to assist you to apply for the $250 Bonus.
When you visit the website to submit your application, there are a few things you need to make the application process as easy as possible, including:
- Making sure you have a copy of a recent electricity bill
- Making sure you know your ‘NMI’ number (this is can be located on your bill and is typically a 10 or 11 digit number)
- Making sure you know the card number for your Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card (for JobSeekers, Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy recipients)
- Making sure you keep a copy of your application reference number and your NMI as you may need it for further communications about your application.
You should receive an update on your application within 10 business days of submission. Approved applications will be asked to provide their payment details.
You should receive your $250 payment via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) within 2-3 weeks of submission if you meet the eligibility and documentation requirements. Cheque payments will take a little longer to process but should be received within 4 weeks if you meet the eligibility and documentation requirements. Incomplete applications may take longer to process and pay.
The $250 Power Saving Bonus will be paid via EFT or by cheque upon request.
Yes. When you submit your application online, you will be able to choose between receiving your payment via EFT or cheque. If you choose EFT you should receive your $250 payment within 5 business days of receiving email confirmation. If you choose cheque you should receive your $250 payment within 4 weeks of receiving email confirmation. If you have submitted your application details already but would like to change your payment method, you should email info.vec@delwp.vic.gov.au.
Information you provide about your concession card will only be used for the purpose of assessing your Power Saving Bonus application. As part of that assessment, DELWP will be sharing your concession card details with Centrelink/Services Australia for the purpose of validating the information you have provided. Your use of Victorian Energy Compare and the Power Saving Bonus is governed by the Victorian Energy Compare website’s privacy statement, which is located at https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/privacy.
All enquiries can be submitted to our support team at info.vec@delwp.vic.gov.au.
Victorian Energy Compare values feedback from the Victorian community. If you wish to provide feedback please email us at info.vec@delwp.vic.gov.au.
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Terms and conditions for use of Victorian Energy Compare
Main things you should know:
- You are responsible for ensuring that information you provide is accurate and complete, as this will affect your results.
- Information provided by Victorian Energy Compare about your future energy usage (and, where you do not provide past usage data, your past and current usage) is a guide only.
- Not all energy offers available to you may be displayed on Victorian Energy Compare.
- You should make your own inquiries about energy plans that are suited to your needs and not rely on the information in Victorian Energy Compare.
Application and amendment of these terms and conditions
Your use of Victorian Energy Compare website is governed by these terms and conditions. By accessing and using Victorian Energy Compare, you agree to be bound by and abide by these terms and conditions.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.
Your use of Victorian Energy Compare
You are entitled to, using a generally recognised web browser, download and view the content of this website and use Victorian Energy Compare for the purpose of obtaining information about your own household's
or small business's energy consumption and generally available energy offers that may be available to cater to your needs. This does not include obtaining information about the energy
consumption and needs of others in order to advise them.
You must not use Victorian Energy Compare:
- for any purpose that is unlawful or infringes any rights of the State of Victoria, its agents, instrumentalities or employees (together, the State) or a third party; or
- to breach or circumvent or attempt to breach or circumvent the security of this website (including hacking) or engage in any other malicious, illegal or damaging behaviour in relation to this website.
Reliance on Victorian Energy Compare
If you upload or otherwise use usage data provided by your energy retailer or distributor for the purposes of using Victorian Energy Compare, the energy company (and you, if you make any changes to the data),
not the State, is responsible for the accuracy of that data. DELWP does not check that the data is correct or otherwise take any responsibility for the content of material provided to you by your energy company.
If you have lived at your residence for more than twelve months, the usage data used by the Victorian Energy Compare website is provided by Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). As such, AEMO, not the State, is responsible for the accuracy of that data. DELWP does not check that the data is correct or otherwise take any responsibility for the content of material provided to you by AEMO.
If you have lived at your residence for less than twelve months, any information about your past, current or projected future energy usage that you obtain through use of Victorian Energy Compare is determined based on the information that you provide in response to questions. You are responsible for ensuring that the information that you provide is accurate and complete. The results provided by Victorian Energy Compare are estimates provided as a guide only and, although DELWP takes due care to ensure that the results are as accurate as possible, the results may not reflect your actual past, current or future energy usage. The information is not financial advice and may not accurately reflect the amount that you will pay for energy.
The information about available energy offers is provided by energy retailers and made available to DELWP. The energy retailer is required to ensure that information is accurate and current. The State is not responsible for verifying its accuracy, currency or completeness and does not take any steps to do so. Accordingly, DELWP does not guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of that material. If you wish to take up any offer listed in Victorian Energy Compare, you should verify the details of the offer with the energy retailer, including checking that the offer is available to you and all of the terms and conditions applicable to the offer. Victorian Energy Compare cannot provide information about whether certain discounts or incentives are available to you. You should not merely rely on the information provided through Victorian Energy Compare as being correct, current and applicable to you or your circumstances.
The energy offers displayed within Victorian Energy Compare do not necessarily reflect all of the offers that may be available to you. There may be additional offers that are available to you but that:
- are not widely available to most domestic or small business customers or are exclusive to a particular customer segment, and are accordingly not required to be provided to the DELWP;
- cannot be handled by Victorian Energy Compare because they fall outside the parameters used by Victorian Energy Compare to compare different offers; or
- are otherwise not provided by the energy retailer to the DELWP.
You should check with the relevant energy retailer what offers may be available to you, including offers not displayed as part of the results given by Victorian Energy Compare.
Third party websites
This website may contain hyperlinks or references to other websites. The State does not claim any association with, and does not endorse, websites that are not clearly identified as sites maintained by
the State. If you follow a hyperlink or are referred to another website, you are responsible for observing that website's terms of use. The State takes no responsibility for the accuracy or use of
material on third party sites. The State is also not responsible for any non-availability of, or computer viruses, other harmful code, defects or errors in, third party sites.
Your rights under law
To the extent that your use of Victorian Energy Compare or this website results in you acquiring services as a consumer within the meaning of the Australian Consumer Law (as set out in Schedule 2 to the
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and given effect under the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)), you may have certain rights and remedies (including, without limitation,
consumer guarantee rights) that cannot be excluded, restricted or modified by agreement. Nothing in these terms and conditions operates to exclude, restrict or modify the application of any implied
condition or warranty, provision, the exercise of any right or remedy, or the imposition of any liability, implied or conferred under the Australian Consumer Law or any other statute, the exclusion,
restriction or modification of which would contravene that statute or cause any of these terms and conditions to be void (Non-excludable Obligation).
Operation of this website
Except in relation to Non-excludable Obligations, all conditions, warranties, guarantees, rights, remedies, liabilities or other terms implied or conferred by statute, custom, or the general law that
impose any liability or obligation on the State are expressly excluded under these terms and conditions. Without limiting the above, the State does not warrant that:
- Victorian Energy Compare or this website will be free of infections by viruses, worms, spyware, adware, keyloggers, trojans or any other computer code, program or routine that is harmful, destructive, disabling or that assists in or enables theft, alteration, denial of service, unauthorised disclosure or destruction or corruption of data; or
- the functioning of Victorian Energy Compare or your access to Victorian Energy Compare or this website will be uninterrupted or error-free.
You should use up-to-date virus protection software and other systems to protect your own computer and systems from viruses or other harmful code.
Exclusions and limitations of liability
Except in relation to Non-excludable Obligations, the State will have no liability to you for any economic loss, loss of contract, loss of profit or revenue, loss of opportunity, loss of production,
production stoppage, loss of data or other loss, harm, damage, cost or expense (including legal fees) in the nature of special, indirect or consequential loss or damage that arises directly or indirectly
in connection with your use of Victorian Energy Compare or this website or the performance or non-performance of Victorian Energy Compare or this website, and whether arising under any indemnity, statute, in tort (for
negligence or otherwise), or on any other basis in law or equity.
The liability of the State to you:
- for a failure to comply with any Non-excludable Obligation, except for services of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use or consumption (in respect of which liability is not so limited under these terms and conditions); or
- in connection with your use of Victorian Energy Compare or this website or the performance or non-performance of Victorian Energy Compare or this website, and whether arising under any indemnity, statute, in tort (for negligence or otherwise), or on any other basis in law or equity, other than for a Non-excludable Obligation,
is limited to supplying the services again or payment of the cost of having the services supplied again.
Suspension of access
Without limiting the above, DELWP may remove or suspend Victorian Energy Compare or this website, or
access to them, for any reason including where there is a fault, harmful code, unauthorised access or
other malicious attack on the website or DELWP's systems or for the purposes of upgrading or maintenance of the website.
Termination of access
If, in DELWP's opinion, you breach any of these terms and conditions, DELWP may suspend,
terminate or limit your access to Victorian Energy Compare or this website. DELWP does not waive any right
under these terms and conditions unless the waiver is in writing signed by DELWP.
Intellectual property
Without limiting any other terms and conditions that apply to this website, you must not reproduce, adapt, modify, communicate or otherwise use any part of Victorian Energy Compare or this website without written
permission from DELWP or as expressly permitted in these terms and conditions. This does not limit your rights under law (including to engage in fair dealing with the copyright material in
Victorian Energy Compare or this website for the purposes permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)).
Privacy
Your use of Victorian Energy Compare is governed by the privacy statement for this website, which is located at https://compare.energy.vic.gov.au/privacy and the DELWP privacy policy referred to in that statement. In addition to the collection of anonymous information through web servers set out in that privacy statement, in using Victorian Energy Compare you will be asked to supply certain information for the purposes of determining your estimated energy usage and profile, and some of the energy offers available to you.
If you do not provide this information, you will not be able to obtain information from Victorian Energy Compare.
To assist you, DELWP will need to access your electricity metering data (via Victorian Energy Compare) from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) under the Advance Metering Infrastructure (Information) Order and section 46D of the Electricity Industry Act 2000. Victorian Energy Compare will use your last 16 months of available data to determine your estimated energy usage and profile. You will need to provide your National Metering Identifier (NMI), retailer name, post code and confirmation that you have been occupying the relevant premises for at least 12 months.
Any such information that you supply through use of Victorian Energy Compare will only be used by DELWP for these purposes, and will not be supplied to any third parties. The information will not be retained by DELWP beyond the end of your session, except that information will be retained in a form aggregated with the information provided by other users of the website, and as part of the caching that occurs during the ordinary operation of this website. Any such information that is personal information will be held and used in accordance with DELWP's privacy policy.
Collection Statement
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is committed to protecting personal information provided by you in accordance with the principles of the Victorian privacy laws.
The information you provide will be used to determine the energy offers available to you.
The information you provide may be made available to Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) in order to retrieve your smart meter data on your behalf.
This information is being collected in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.
If all requested information is not received, DELWP will be unable to provide you with accurate information about energy offers available to you.
You may access the information you have provided to DELWP by contacting Victorian Energy Compare at info.vec@delwp.vic.gov.au .
Smart meter data gives you a more accurate, faster comparison
Did you know that using your own smart meter data in Victorian Energy Compare will give you the best electricity comparisons?
Selecting no to this question and answering the Victorian Energy Compare questionnaire will still give you an accurate comparison, but using your smart meter data will provide the most accurate estimates and will be based solely on your electricity usage habits.
Am I eligible?
Concessions
If you have a relevant concession card, you may be able to get a concession.
Having trouble paying your energy bills? You may be eligible for a concession that will save you 17.5% or more off your gas and electricity bills
Victorian Energy Compare calculates two electricity concessions and one gas concession and applies these to your estimated bills:
- Annual Electricity Concession – gives you 17.5% discount off your electricity bills
- Winter Gas Concession – gives you 17.5% discount off your winter gas bills
- Service to Property Concession – where your electricity service charge may be reduced to your usage charge
Find out about other concessions and rebates here
Victorian Energy Compare does not calculate any other energy concessions.
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I have been at my address for less than 12 months
Victorian Energy Compare needs at least 12 months of consumption data to provide a price comparison for small business users.
Once you've taken charge of your bills, you can take charge of your energy use.
For assistance, contact Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450 or visit www.tisnational.gov.au
compare.energy.vic.gov.au
1800 000 VEC (832)
compare.energy.vic.gov.au
1800 000 VEC (832)
