Electricity prices

[Marty_d]

Looks like the power companies are changing their billing - increasing the fixed daily charges while dropping (in some cases) the kWh rate.

Wonder if this is driven by the uptake of home batteries - they're losing money from the supply of power so they're charging more to stay connected to the grid?

 

Australia politics live: energy minister asks regulator to investigate big jump in power companies’ supply fees https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jun/24/australia-politics-live-war-memorial-tax-reform-greens-labor-deal-ndis-review-coalition-question-time-anthony-albanese-angus-taylor-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-24/why-power-bill-may-rise-despite-lower-default-market-offer/106830428

[nomadpete]

Not unexpected.

[nomadpete]

I hope someone points out that this will result in the public buying more solar panels? I'll make sure my surplus solar power covers the connection fee....

 

until I am confident I can disconnect. Then those companies will find they killed the goose.

[old man emu]

4 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

those companies will find they killed the goose.

But there are still a lot of goslings who must remain connected to grid.

[nomadpete]

Just now, old man emu said:

But there are still a lot of goslings who must remain connected to grid.

Unfortunately that is true.

But the ball is rolling, and so far this year, about 400,000 home batteries have been installed this year.

 

The whole system is changing. This transition is going to require some socialist support for those who are disadvantaged by the changes.

 

[Siso]

Pity industry will have trouble disconnevtibg to the grid. The more people that disconnect the harder it will be to compete. China are laughing there heads off i reckon

[octave]

10 minutes ago, Siso said:

Pity industry will have trouble disconnevtibg to the grid. The more people that disconnect the harder it will be to compete. China are laughing there heads off i reckon

A lot of industries are already exploring renewables and some are already off grid such as parts of the mining industry.  As solar and batteries get cheaper, it will be irrational for households to connect to the grid merely to support the grid for the benefit of industry.  

[facthunter]

If you were on gas the situation will be worse. The connection fee for Power is at  present about 150%of the price of hiring a set of Oxy-acetylene bottles. Eventually the system will be able to process the feed in Tariffs better and the Payment will be a bit more realistic.. More storage anywhere will bring that change. Nev

[old man emu]

I asked my local Toyota dealer if he thought he would be selling EV work vehicles to local agriculturalists. I put up the range limit point. He said that a lot of them were installing solar systems and those systems would enable recharging of EVs. Then I considered how the locals used their work vehicles and came to the conclusion that those vehicle were not driven on long trips. Most trips into the local town wouldn't be more than 50 kms and back. From my place to Dubbo and back is only 150 kms, plus about 10 for running around in Dubbo. That sort of distance is only about half the range of a full charge. We all know that cockies have sedans and SUVs for the longer trips. They are likely to be hybrids.