Infographic text alternative: South Australia retail energy market 2015-16

Performance indicators

17 retailers marketing to residential electricity customers, with the biggest three – AGL, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia – supplying 75 per cent of customers. These three retailers supply 87 per cent of the gas market.
Electricity and gas switching activity generally remained flat over the year

85 per cent of electricity customers are on market retail contracts (up from 84 per cent from 2014-15)
85 per cent of gas customers are on market retail contracts (up from 83 per cent)

3.7 per cent of non-hardship electricity customers are repaying a debt (down from 4.2 per cent in 2014-15). This is the highest rate nationally.
The average electricity debt per customer is $728 (down $14 from 2014-15)
3 per cent of non-hardship gas customers are repaying a debt (down from 3.3 per cent in 2014-15). This is the lowest rate nationally.
$378 is the average gas debt (up $1.24 from 2014-15)

1.8 per cent of electricity customers are repaying debt under a retailer’s hardship program (up from 1.5 per cent in 2014-15)
$1081 is the average electricity debt of customers when entering a retailer’s hardship program (down $305 from 2014-15)
$1706 is the average electricity debt among hardship customers (up $142 from 2014-15). This is the highest nationally.
1.4 per cent of gas customers are repaying debt on a hardship program (up from 1 per cent 2014-15)
$493 is the average gas debt on entry to hardship program (down $83 from 2014-15)
$647 is the average gas debt among those on hardship programs (up $49 from 2014-15)

The number of residential electricity customers who were disconnected for non-payment increased by 3.6 per cent (from 10,179 in 2014-15). This represents 1.4 per cent of total electricity customers. This is the highest rate nationally.
The number of gas customers who were disconnected also increased by 11 per cent (from 4,575 in 2014-15). This represents 1.2 per cent of total residential gas customers. This is the highest rate nationally.

Energy bills for a low income household (consuming 3,700kWh and 21,000MJ)

The annual electricity bill on the median market offer with a concession is $1216, (down 3.7 per cent) from 2014-15. Without a concession, the same bill would be $1324 (down 3.4 per cent)
The annual electricity bill on a median standing offer was $1311 with a concession (down 8.4 per cent), or $1419 without (down 7.8 per cent).
For electricity, the median market offer is about 6.7 per cent cheaper than the standing offer.

The annual gas bill on the median market offer was $1047 (up 3.9 per cent). With a gas concession, the annual bill on a market offer is $940 (up 4.3 per cent).
The annual gas bill on the median standing offer is $1153 (up 3.9 per cent) without a concession. With a gas concession, the annual bill on a standing offer is $1045.
For gas, the median market offer is about 9.2 per cent cheaper than the standing offer.

A low income household on the median market offer and receiving an energy concession would spend:

5.2 per cent of its disposable income on electricity (or 5.7 per cent without a concession) and
4.0 per cent of its disposable income on gas (or 4.5 per cent without a concession)

The benefits of comparing offers on Energy Made Easy and switching (from median standing offer to lowest market offer at 30 June 2016).

95 residential electricity offers.
23 residential gas offers.
A resident of the Adelaide area switching from the median standing offer to the lowest market offer could save up to $448 (electricity) and $131 (gas).
A resident of the Mt Gambier area switching from the median standing offer to the lowest market offer could save up to $448 (electricity) and $105 (gas).