Hansard

Synergy—Small business contracts

155. Hon Dr Steve Thomasto theLeader of the House representing the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation:

I refer to my question without notice 85 asked on 29 April on small business contracts for energy supply from Synergy in the contestable market.

(1) If pricing varies by customer, how does Synergy measure the tariffs for power supplied to small businesses?

(2) Do businesses therefore receive different tariffs and, if so, what is the range of unit costs for peak and off-peak electricity charges?

(3) Do the supply charges for small businesses also vary and, if so, what is the range of that variation?

(4) What was the total revenue received by Synergy from business tariffs in the following financial years:

(a) 2021–22;

(b) 2022–23;

(c) 2023–24; and

(d) 2024–25 to date?

Hon Stephen Dawson replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided on behalf of the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation.

(1) A small-use contestable customer has the option to negotiate a market-based contract with Synergy or other electricity retailers. Small-use contestable customers can choose a regulated tariff having taken into consideration their voltage eligibility requirements, meter capability and consumption characteristics. Synergy offers regulated tariffs R1 and L1 for sites consuming less than 50,000 kilowatt hours per annum and R3 and L3for sites consuming equal to or greater than 50,000 kilowatt hours per annum for small-use contestable customers—that is, sites consuming up to 160,000 kilowatt hours per annum. These tariffs do not vary by customer.

(2) Businesses can receive different tariffs. Market customers have contracts negotiated to meet individual requirements. These are commercially confidential agreements and therefore it is not appropriate to provide an average. For contestable customers on a regulated tariff, ranges include the following.

The remainder of the answer is in tabular form, so I seek leave to have that incorporated into Hansard.

Leave granted for the following material to be incorporated.

3.

4.