Latest News

Premium Feed in Tariffs

30 October 2009

From 1 November 2009, a premium feed in tariff will be paid to eligible customers who feed electricity into the distribution grid through small scale solar photovoltaic systems with a capacity up to or equal to five kW.

These eligible customers will be paid 60 cents per kWh for the net electricity fed into the grid after their own consumption is taken into account. These costs are included in the approved use of system tariffs, which are recovered from all customers. 

Many Powercor customers and a few CitiPower customers currently enjoy lower electricity rates that are applied to their hot water and slab heating (controlled load tariffs), and split system heating (climate saver tariffs). These customers’ electricity meters measure multiple tariffs at the same premises.
 
However, eligible customers who wish to partake in the premium feed in tariff will be moved onto a single tariff structure. These customers’ premises will be fitted with an electricity meter that measures the net electricity fed into the grid after their own consumption is taken into account. This is called “net metering” and is part of the legislation associated with Premium Feed in Tariffs. 
 
For customers who install small scale solar photovoltaic systems and lose their lower electricity rates associated with controlled load devices, CitiPower and Powercor will offer a time of use tariff comparable to the controlled load tariffs that would otherwise be lost.
 
Customers should contact their retailer to understand the effect of solar photovoltaic systems on their electricity bill. For further information including extensive FAQs on the premium feed-in tariff visit the Department of Primary Industries website