Electricity and Gas Distribution Prices Remain Steady for Jemena Customers

As the wholesale price of energy continues to place upward pressure on household bills, leading energy infrastructure company Jemena has today confirmed its distribution charges – which account for around 34 to 39 percent of a typical household’s energy bill – will remain steady at the start of the next financial year. 

Jemena delivers gas to 1.4 million customers across Sydney and regional New South Wales and electricity to more than 370,000 customers across Melbourne’s north west. 

Like other goods and services, household energy bills generally change at the start of the new financial year, reflecting the cost profile to generate energy, and transport and distribute it to homes and businesses. 

Acting Jemena Customer and Commercial General Manager Sandra Centofanti said that the company had worked closely with its customers and their advocates when developing its pricing and services plans, which were independently reviewed and endorsed by the Australian Energy Regulatory (AER) in 2020 and 2021.

“As a business we are committed to understanding our customer’s energy needs and preferences in keeping with our corporate value: think like a customer,” said Ms Centofanti. 

“From 2018 to 2020 we spent more than 200 hours hearing directly from our customers about what they want and expect from us as their energy distribution company. They told us very clearly that they want us to do what we can to keep energy bills affordable, while also preparing for the energy grid of the future.”

“In response our portion of a customer’s energy bill will remain flat, with distribution charges for gas set to decrease by around $4 per annum for customers living in Sydney, and $7 per annum for our customers living in regional New South Wales. 

“For our electricity customers in Victoria, Jemena’s electricity network prices are not increasing for a typical household customer and we remain one of the lowest cost distribution networks in Australia,” she said.

Ms Centofanti said that while electricity prices may be increasing for customers, these changes are largely due to higher wholesale electricity costs and are not being driven by distribution networks. 

“Customers should continue to shop around for the best energy deal. There are a variety of resources available to help people understand and manage their energy bills, including the Victorian Government’s Energy Compare website which helps customers compare and check they are on the best energy deal for them. In New South Wales customers can visit www.energymadeeasy.gov.au to compare plans and find the best one for them.”

“For Jemena’s electricity customers in Victoria, we also offer free, over the phone energy appointments for customers who face difficulty understanding and managing their bills via the Uniting Energy Assist Program, delivered by our program partner Uniting Vic.Tas.”

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Note to editors

From 1 July 2022 the Victorian default energy price for electricity (the default offer) will increase, primarily as a result of rising wholesale prices. The default offer is designed to be a simple and reasonably priced electricity option that safeguards customers. For more information visit: https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/electricity-and-gas/prices-tariffs-and-benchmarks/victorian-default-offer.