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What are Controlled Load Tariffs - And Can They Save You Money?

Controlled load tariffs make running your high-energy usage appliances cheaper. But how do they work, and how do you know if you’re on one? If you’re hoping to take advantage of this tariff and save some money on your power bill, read on.

What Is A Controlled Load Tariff?

A controlled load tariff is dedicated to large appliances that use a high amount of energy and are metered separately to the rest of a property. They are usually used for hot water systems, which make up a large portion of your household energy use. However, customers can choose to connect multiple appliances, depending on the way their metre system is set up.

The idea is that the appliances linked to the controlled load are run and metered on their own dedicated circuit and billed separately to other electricity use. The energy use on the dedicated circuit is tariffed at a lower price rate than other energy used on the property. All electricity use not included in your controlled load will be charged at the general usage rate.

What Appliances Can I Use On The Controlled Load?

Your electric hot water system is most commonly linked to a controlled load tariff, but if you have other systems or appliances that use a lot of energy, it’s a good idea to consider adding these as well. Electric slab heaters and heated pools are examples of appliances that are worth adding to a controlled load scheme.

Why Is It Billed At A Lower Rate?

You must be wondering what the catch is, right? While appliances run on your controlled load do incur lower billing rates, there is a trade-off. Electricity will only be supplied to the nominated appliances or systems for a limited time per day. So if you’re thinking about putting your whole household on the cheaper metered system, think again! You don’t want to limit the use of all your electricity for just a few hours a day.

How Long Is The Energy Supplied For?

The number of hours per day that electricity is supplied to appliances on your controlled load depends on where you live. Some states, like Victoria and South Australia, only have one controlled load. New South Wales and Queensland have two, with a choice between a shorter and cheaper period, or a more flexible but slightly more expensive one. Electricity distributors decide which hours energy is supplied for, but they are usually periods of between 8 and 18 hours and at non-peak demand times, such as overnight.

Am I Already On A Controlled Load Scheme?

Possibly! If you’re unsure whether you are already using a controlled load for some of your energy use, take a look at your latest electricity bill. The labelling of the controlled load tariff will appear differently by state, but they are typically referred to as ‘controlled load’, ‘off-peak’, or tariff 31, 33, 61 or 63.

Can A Controlled Load Tariff Save Me Money?

Generally a controlled load tariff will save you money in energy bills. Hot water systems, for example, can be run for considerably less than on the usual metre system. How much you can save depends on a variety of factors, including where you live and how much energy your household uses.

If you’re not using a controlled load and you want to set one up, there is a cost involved in setting up the proper metering. Depending on where you live, there might also be a daily supply charge added on to your energy bill.

Sally Writes 04 Mar 2021

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