Watts & Bills
What electricity costs in Australian Capital Territory
A small market sitting inside someone else's grid.
36.95c/kWh
134.2c/day
$490a year
+32%
A small market sitting inside someone else's grid
The ACT is electrically part of the New South Wales region - its wholesale price is the NSW price - but it is a separate retail market, dominated by ActewAGL, with its own regulated standing offer rather than the AER's Default Market Offer. Its usage rate is among the higher ones in the country, but the territory's daily supply charge is below the national middle, which softens the bill for smaller households. The ACT also sources the equivalent of all its electricity from renewables through long-term contracts, an arrangement that shapes what the territory pays over time rather than what shows on your bill this quarter.
What each appliance costs in ACT
| Appliance | Each use | A year here | Cheapest state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charging an electric car at home7kW wallbox taking a battery from near-empty to full | $15.52 | $1,552 | $1,174Tasmania |
| Electric storage hot water systemFamily-sized tank heating on a controlled-load tariff | $3.46 | $1,262 | $955Tasmania |
| Ducted reverse-cycle air conditioningWhole-house ducted system on a hot summer day | $12.42 | $1,117 | $845Tasmania |
| Swimming pool pumpSingle-speed filtration pump on a daily timer | $2.85 | $1,038 | $786Tasmania |
| Electric column heaterPortable oil column heater on full in one room | $4.43 | $443 | $335Tasmania |
| Outdoor spaHeater and pump keeping a four-seater spa warm | $2.96 | $443 | $335Tasmania |
| Split-system air conditionerOne 2.5kW-cooling bedroom or living-room unit | $2.51 | $302 | $228Tasmania |
| Second fridge in the garageOlder beer fridge working harder in an unairconditioned garage | 67c | $243 | $184Tasmania |
| DishwasherNormal cycle with internal water heating | 78c | $233 | $176Tasmania |
| Vented clothes dryerStandard vented dryer, one full load | $1.33 | $200 | $151Tasmania |
| Fridge-freezerAverage draw of a 400L fridge-freezer over a full day | 51c | $188 | $142Tasmania |
| Gaming PCMid-to-high-end desktop under load plus monitor | 59c | $177 | $134Tasmania |
| Electric ovenStandard 60cm oven at roasting temperature | 89c | $133 | $101Tasmania |
| Heat-pump clothes dryerCondenser heat-pump dryer, one full load | 74c | $111 | $84Tasmania |
| Washing machineFront loader on a warm wash | 33c | $93 | $70Tasmania |
| Television55-inch LED set, five hours of viewing | 18c | $67 | $51Tasmania |
| Electric kettleBoiling enough for two mugs, three minutes | 4c | $65 | $49Tasmania |
| Air fryerMid-sized basket air fryer, 20 minutes | 18c | $37 | $28Tasmania |
| Electric blanketDouble-bed underblanket on a medium setting | 27c | $32 | $24Tasmania |
| Ceiling fanStandard four-blade fan on medium | 21c | $31 | $23Tasmania |
Worth reading next
Sources
- AER - Default Market Offer 2026-27 final determination
- Reference plan rates by state, 2026-27
- Appliance wattages are typical mid-range values for common Australian models. The label on your own unit beats our figure.
Reference prices last checked 2026-10-26. New regulated prices apply from 1 July each year. Spotted something wrong?Tell us — corrections go out the same week.