A controlled load tariff (a tariff being how you’re charged for electricity usage) is applied to specific home appliances that steadily use large amounts of electricity. Examples of these appliances include pool pumps, underfloor or slab heating and hot water systems.
Usually, these appliances are wired to their own circuits and have their own meters, separate from the rest of your household’s electricity (although they can also be on separate circuits but the same meter; this is generally the case with smart meters). That way, your electricity provider (your retailer) can bill appliances with controlled load tariffs separately, and often at a lower rate than the rest of your bill.
You’re often charged a lower rate because controlled load appliances generally draw their electricity during off-peak times, like overnight or during the day when most people aren’t at home.
The hours that make up off-peak times can differ between energy providers, as can the name of the controlled load tariff; some providers might refer to their controlled load tariffs as ‘dedicated circuit’.
New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania offer two options for controlled load tariffs.
In NSW, these tariffs are:
In QLD, they are:
In TAS, the controlled load tariffs are:
Controlled load 1, tariff 31 and tariff 63 usage is generally available for a few hours (e.g. six hours), usually overnight, and tends to be cheaper than general electricity usage around the rest of the household.
However, controlled load 2, tariff 33 and tariff 61 are generally available for a longer period overnight as well as a couple more hours during the day. In turn, they’re slightly more expensive than the other tariffs.
Other states and territories that offer controlled load electricity (e.g. VIC, SA and ACT) may only have the one controlled load tariff available. Keep in mind that controlled load may be called something different (like ‘dedicated circuit’ or ‘off-peak’).
Click here to learn about business energy tariffs.
Tariffs are how much you’re charged for your electricity usage. It’s comprised of the supply charge (the cost to deliver the electricity to your household) and the usage charge (how much electricity you use).
If your appliance doesn’t have its own meter yet (perhaps you’re getting the appliance installed and you want to arrange a separate meter, or you want to change from a peak tariff to controlled load prices for your existing appliance), you may need to pay to get one installed or have an electrician reconfigure your current meter. Contact your provider first to find out whether these options are available to you.
For an appliance that’s already on its own meter, you’re likely to have a separate controlled load tariff (or dedicated circuit as it’s sometimes referred to), but there’s reason why you can’t switch providers for a better deal! To see if you are on a great controlled load tariff, simply check your bill and compare between energy providers.
If you have large appliances that draw considerable amounts of energy at the same time every day (like hot water systems and pool pumps), you could stand to benefit from a controlled load tariff.
If you don’t have these appliances, then a controlled load isn’t right for you; it isn’t designed for large amounts of electricity usage (like those used by multiple appliances during peak times)!
If you find you are using large amounts of electricity during certain times of the day (but not from controlled load appliances), you could look into a time-of-use or demand tariff. A time-of-use tariff charges you differently for electricity depending on what time of the day you use it. Conversely, a demand tariff applies a surcharge to your peak electricity usage. Speak to your retailer as your current meter may not be able to support it.
The Victoria State Government offers a concession specifically for controlled load electricity bills. Only households with dual-element electricity (a two-thermostat system in which the upper thermostat heats the water to a determined temperature before the lower heats to the final temperature) or smart meters (for hot water and slab heating) are eligible for the concession.1 You also need to hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or Veterans’ Affair Gold Card.
Of course, energy rebates and concessions are available from every state and territory government; they just might not be specifically for your controlled load bill. If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, reaching out to your energy provider (who arranges the concessions for you) is the best way to move forward.
Even if you don’t have underfloor heating, pool pumps or other types of appliances that guzzle lots of electricity, you can still take advantage of peak, off-peak and shoulder times through a time-of-use tariff.
If you have this tariff (and you usually need a smart meter for it), your electricity usage will be measured and charged according to the time of day you consume it.
Usage during peak hours (e.g. mornings and evenings on weekdays for certain tariffs) will cost you more than usage during off-peak (e.g. overnight or during the day) or shoulder (between the peak and off-peak), with off-peak usage costing you the least of the three.
Peak, off-peak and shoulder times will vary between providers, if they are available.
If you’re in the market for a new energy plan – whether you’re looking for a controlled load or not – comparing your options is a great way to see if you’re on a competitive offer.
Our energy comparison service makes this step easy! All you need to do is enter a few details about yourself and your property. Within minutes, you can compare a range of energy plans, their rates and any discounts to get a quote. And if you find one you like, you can apply for it through us with no hassle and at no extra cost. Simples!
1 Victoria State Government – Controlled load electricity concession. Last updated April 2020. Accessed November 2020.
