Energy bill relief for small businesses, Western Australia

Program:

Electricity credit for Western Australians

Location:

Eligible small businesses in Western Australia can get help with their energy bills from 1 July 2023 through the Energy Bill Relief Fund. The WA Government is administering the bill relief.

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How much you can get

If you are a customer of Synergy or Horizon Power, you can get $650 in bill relief for your small business in WA payable over 2 instalments of $325. The first payment will be made from 8 July 2023 and the second payment from 2 December 2023.

Who can get it

Eligible small business and charity groups must be on one of the following electricity tariffs:

• C1 or C2
• D1 or D2
• K1 or K2
• L1 or L2
• R1

Who can’t get it

Even if the product eligibility criteria is met, the following accounts are not eligible:

the supply is made under the Tariff B1 (residential water heating tariff) as specified in the Energy Operators (Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation) (Charges) By laws 2006
an account held by a local government authority, council or entity created pursuant to the Local Government Act 1995 (WA)
an account held by a Western Australian or Australian government statutory authority, trading enterprise, department or agency
an account held by a telecommunication company that is, for example part of the corporate group of, Telstra, Vodafone, Optus or the National Broadband Network
an account that is, for example part of the corporate group of, Westpac, Australian and New Zealand Banking Group, Commonwealth Bank or National Australia Bank
an account held by a major mining or resources operator, that is, for example part of the corporate group of, BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG, Chevron and Woodside
an account for temporary electricity supply for the purposes of constructing premises
consumption at the premises is greater than 50 MWh in the 12 months prior to 9 May 2023
Synergy reasonably expects consumption for the account to be greater than 50 MWh over a 12-month period.

If you are in an embedded network

If you operate a small business or charity in Western Australia and receive your electricity via an embedded network or submetering arrangement, you may be eligible for a payment via the Small Business and Charities Energy Bill Relief. The payments will be administered by the Small Business Development Corporation.

When you will get it

From 31 July 2023, you may be eligible for a $650 lump sum payment if, on 9 May 2023, you were a small business or charity that:

held a valid and active ABN as a small business or charity
was incurring electricity costs
was receiving the power on-supplied via an embedded network/submetering arrangement (not directly billed by Synergy or Horizon Power) or fall within the scope of a number of electricity retail tariff classes
consumed less than 50 MWh of electricity per year or, if this is not measured, are liable for less than $15,000 per annum in electricity costs.

See the complete eligibility criteria and apply for the grant by 4.00pm 30 November 2023 at the Small Business Development Corporation website.

To find out more about how the bill relief works go to the WA Government website.