ELECTRICITY – PRICES – AUSTRALIA

Solar, wind cheapest long-term mix: CSIRO

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Ryan Cropp
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 17-Dec-25

The CSIRO’s latest draft GenCost report has concluded that onshore wind farms and solar power would allow Australia to meet its 2030 renewable energy target and result in lower wholesale electricity prices than at present. The national science agency also states that these renewables are also the most cost-efficient way for the nation to meet its 2050 targets. Meanwhile, CSIRO estimates that adding offshore wind power to the energy mix would result in slightly higher electricity costs, while building nuclear power plants would add signicantly to the cost.

CORPORATES
CSIRO

Free-power plan to raise prices

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 4 : 5-Nov-25

MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic has described the federal government’s Solar Sharer scheme as "another poorly thought through market intervention" by the Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen. Kavonic warns that the proposed three-hour block of ‘free’ electricity during the day will inevitably be offset by higher electricity prices at other times. David Dixon from Rystad Energy in turn says households may become more reluctant to invest in rooftop solar if they can use electricity for free.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER, MST MARQUEE, RYSTAD ENERGY AS

ALP subsidy too late to save 1200 smelter jobs

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Original article by Perry Williams, Jack Quail, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 29-Oct-25

Tomago Aluminium’s CEO Jerome Dozol says the fate of its NSW smelter is likely to be decided long before the federal government’s $2bn green production credit scheme becomes available. The smelter’s current electricity supply deal will expire in 2028, and it faces the prospect of negotiating a new coal-fired supply deal at much higher prices until it has access to sufficient renewable generation. Dozol says this is unlikely to occur until "well into the 2030s". The Energy Users Association of Australia says the shutdown of the Tomago smelter due to high electricity prices is an "unimaginable situation", given the nation’s abundant energy resources. Tomago’s closure would result in the loss of about 1,200 direct jobs.

CORPORATES
TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD, ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

BHP chief issues warning on impact of Australia’s inflated energy costs

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 16-Sep-25

BHP CEO Mike Henry has told a shareholder forum that the cost of electricity in Australia is much higher than in countries that it is competing with for investments, with Henry citing the US as a prime example. He said that Australia needs to have "stable, reliable and affordable energy on the path to net zero"; he also noted that the resurgence in demand for nuclear power has boosted demand for uranium, with BHP among the world’s top 10 uranium producers. On the question of copper, BHP is aiming to more than double production in South Australia over the next decade, although a final investment decision on a major smelter upgrade at its Olympic Dam mine is not expected until 2028.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Chalmers concedes energy rebates must end

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 7 : 21-May-25

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has refused to rule out extending the federal government’s energy rebate for a third time. However, he acknowledges that the government is aware that the $6.8bn rebate must end at some stage, which is why it has been extended for just six months rather than a year. Independent economist Chris Richardson says the rebate is "bad policy" and the money should have been used to reduce the structural deficit and increase unemployment benefits. Professor Bob Breunig from the Australian National University agrees that the rebate should not be extended beyond 2025, arguing that such subsidies tend to be inflationary.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Chris Bowen says renewables the right path despite energy price spikes

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Original article by Greg Brown,(SPACE)Colin Packham
The Australian – Page: Online : 14-Mar-25

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said on Thursday that it was time for Energy Minister Chris Bowen to be sacked, following a draft ruling by the Australian Energy Regulator that will see electricity prices rise by as much as nine per cent from July. Dutton claimed that household power bills have gone up by as much as $1,300 under Labor, and that the Coalition will restore "balance" to the electricity sector by abandoning Labor’s 82 per cent renewables target. However, Bowen maintains Labor’s push to boost the amount of electricity that is generated from renewable energy is the right way to go in terms of getting energy prices down, and that the Coalition’s intention of keeping coal in the system for longer would result in even higher electricity costs for Australians.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER,(SPACE)AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR,(SPACE)AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM signals budget help for families, small business

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Original article by James Massola
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Apr-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will use a speech on Thursday to state that small businesses and families will be ‘front and centre’ again in the federal government’s budget on 14 May. He will note that assisting families and small businesses with their energy bills was a key priority of the 2023 budget. Albanese’s comments in his Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia speech will heighten expectations that the government is set to extend its Energy Bill Relief fund, which is slated to end on 30 June. He will also emphasise the importance of small businesses to Australia’s future prosperity, noting that they are job creators, innovators and early adopters of technology such as clean energy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

End of subsidy will risk power bill cut

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Original article by Patrick Commins, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 20-Mar-24

The Australian Energy Regulator’s proposed changes to the default market offer could reduce household power bills by up to 7.1 per cent in 2024-25. Businesses in turn could see their electricity costs fall by up to 10 per cent. However, the AER’s proposed changes to the default market offer will be offset by a likely big increase in electricity bills for many households if the federal government does not renew its commitment to the energy bill relief fund in 2024-25, which is jointly funded by the states. It has provided energy subsidies to people on low incomes and small businsses.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR

Power bill relief likely only if grid survives summer

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 24-Oct-23

Wholesale electricity prices are down as much as 70 per cent on a year ago, but Gavin Dufty from the St Vincent de Paul Society says he does not expect to see any easing in retail prices for households and small businesses until perhaps the start of the 2024-25 financial year. He says this is because most rates will have been locked in before July, while Josh Stabler from energy adviser Energy Edge says the 2023-24 summer is likely to be very hot, leading to possible record electricity consumption as a result of people using air conditioning.

CORPORATES
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, ENERGY EDGE

Melbourne Institute & Roy Morgan – Taking The Pulse of the Nation: To address rising energy costs, Australians want long-term solutions from the government rather than temporary reliefs

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Feb-23

In December 2022, the Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey asked Australians about their ability to meet daily energy needs, their strategies to deal with high energy costs, and what they expect from the government to assist with rising energy costs. Rising energy costs have meant that a fifth of Australians can’t afford to adequately use their heating or cooling. The proportion of Australians unable to heat or cool their homes is almost four times higher among those in financial stress compared to those not in financial stress. When asked how they’re responding to recent and predicted future increases in electricity and gas prices, 36% of Australians have changed the heating and/or cooling setting of their homes to lower energy costs and save money. Some 12% of respondents reported having skipped a meal or eaten less to be able to pay their energy bills. Meanwhile, about 45% of Australians believe the government should invest in or subsidise the development of more renewable energy sources instead of one-time transfers to households to help alleviate energy poverty. Many Australians also want to see government intervention with price controls or caps on energy market prices, and investment in nuclear technologies and power infrastructure. This report is based on a total of 1,000 adult respondents from data collected in December 2022. Visit the Melbourne Institute Taking the Pulse of the Nation web portal for further information and to access interactive charts and other findings: https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/ttpn.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH