Peak is most often 4pm–9pm and off-peak 11am–4pm on weekdays. Compare the most common times by network, the big retailers' times, and when power is cheapest.
Off-peak is the lowest paid rate on a time-of-use plan. It may fall at midday, overnight or both. There is no single Australian off-peak window; the tables show the most common times, not a guarantee for your tariff.
Check your bill or energy fact sheet for exact weekday, weekend and seasonal times. A single-rate plan has no cheaper off-peak usage rate.
On weekdays, peak is most often 4pm–9pm and off-peak 11am–4pm, but it depends on your network. Across Australia, the cheapest rate is at midday on 49%, overnight on 21% and at both on 28% of time-of-use plans. Times below are the most common on each network across 2,971 current time-of-use plans in the government's data. Your own plan's times are on its energy fact sheet.
Jump to: NSW · QLD · VIC · SA · ACT · TAS
On Ausgrid, the most common peak time is 3pm–9pm and off-peak is 9pm–3pm. Across New South Wales, the cheapest rate is at midday on 21%, overnight on 28% and at both on 47% of time-of-use plans. 21 retailers sell plans with free power, most often 11am–2pm.
Which network? Sydney: Ausgrid or Endeavour; Newcastle: Ausgrid.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid Sydney's east, north and inner west, the Central Coast and the Hunter | 3pm–9pm 78% of plans | none | 9pm–3pm | Same as weekdays on 85% of plans | 54.1c / 25.4c | 448 |
| Endeavour Western and south-western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Illawarra and South Coast | 4pm–8pm 54% of plans | 8pm–10am, 2pm–4pm | 10am–2pm | No peak on 72% of plans | 42.5c / 14.2c | 427 |
| Essential Energy Regional and rural NSW | 7am–10am, 3pm–10pm 56% of plans | none | 10pm–7am, 10am–3pm | Same as weekdays on 62% of plans | 42.1c / 24.1c | 239 |
| Essential Energy Far West Far west NSW, around Broken Hill | 7am–10am, 3pm–10pm 35% of plans | none | 10pm–7am | No peak on 58% of plans | 43.7c / 24.2c | 284 |
On Energex, the most common peak time is 4pm–9pm and off-peak is 11am–4pm. Across Queensland, the cheapest rate is at midday on 83%, overnight on 8% and at both on 8% of time-of-use plans. 21 retailers sell plans with free power, most often 11am–2pm.
Which network? Brisbane: Energex; Gold Coast: Energex; Sunshine Coast: Energex.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energex South-east Queensland: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Logan | 4pm–9pm 81% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 95% of plans | 45.9c / 8.1c | 230 |
| Ergon Regional Queensland outside the south-east | 4pm–9pm 78% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 100% of plans | 46.4c / 18.5c | 18 |
On Citipower, the most common peak time is 4pm–9pm and off-peak is 11am–4pm. Across Victoria, the cheapest rate is at midday on 73%, overnight on 14% and at both on 12% of time-of-use plans. 21 retailers sell plans with free power, most often 11am–2pm.
Which network? Melbourne: Citipower, Jemena, United Energy, AusNet Services or Powercor.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AusNet Services Eastern Victoria and Melbourne's outer east and north | 4pm–9pm 69% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 90% of plans | 46.8c / 17.6c | 217 |
| Citipower Melbourne CBD and inner suburbs | 4pm–9pm 72% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 94% of plans | 38.3c / 16.6c | 212 |
| Jemena Melbourne's north and north-west | 4pm–9pm 71% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 94% of plans | 37.4c / 17.6c | 209 |
| Powercor Western and central Victoria and Melbourne's outer west | 4pm–9pm 71% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 93% of plans | 41.5c / 17.3c | 211 |
| United Energy Melbourne's south-east and the Mornington Peninsula | 4pm–9pm 71% of plans | 9pm–11am | 11am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 93% of plans | 39.1c / 17.3c | 213 |
On SA Power Networks, the most common peak time is 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight and off-peak is 10am–4pm. Across South Australia, the cheapest rate is at midday on 86%, overnight on 6% and at both on 5% of time-of-use plans. 21 retailers sell plans with free power, most often 12pm–3pm.
Which network? Adelaide: SA Power Networks.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA Power Networks All of South Australia | 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight 73% of plans | 12am–6am | 10am–4pm | Same as weekdays on 100% of plans | 56.2c / 17.0c | 174 |
On Evoenergy, the most common peak time is 7am–9am, 5pm–8pm and off-peak is 10pm–7am. Across the ACT, the cheapest rate is at midday on 41% and overnight on 59% of time-of-use plans.
Which network? Canberra: Evoenergy.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evoenergy Canberra and the ACT | 7am–9am, 5pm–8pm 59% of plans | 9am–5pm, 8pm–10pm | 10pm–7am | Same as weekdays on 100% of plans | 43.8c / 23.2c | 70 |
On TasNetworks, the most common peak time is 7am–10am, 4pm–9pm and off-peak is 9pm–7am, 10am–4pm. Across Tasmania, the cheapest rate is overnight on 16% and at both on 84% of time-of-use plans.
| Network | Peak (weekdays) | Shoulder | Off-peak | Weekends | Typical peak / off-peak rate | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TasNetworks All of Tasmania | 7am–10am, 4pm–9pm 84% of plans | none | 9pm–7am, 10am–4pm | No peak on 100% of plans | 36.1c / 16.9c | 19 |
Each retailer's most common times on its time-of-use plans on the main network in each state.
| Retailer | State (network) | Peak (weekdays) | Off-peak | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGL | NSW (Ausgrid) | 3pm–9pm | 9pm–3pm | 16 |
| AGL | QLD (Energex) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 16 |
| AGL | VIC (Citipower) | 3pm–9pm | 9pm–3pm | 15 |
| AGL | SA (SA Power Networks) | 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight | 10am–4pm | 16 |
| Origin Energy | NSW (Ausgrid) | 3pm–9pm | 9pm–3pm | 27 |
| Origin Energy | QLD (Energex) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 27 |
| Origin Energy | VIC (Citipower) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 63 |
| Origin Energy | SA (SA Power Networks) | 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight | 10am–4pm | 27 |
| Origin Energy | ACT (Evoenergy) | 7am–9am, 5pm–8pm | 10pm–7am | 17 |
| EnergyAustralia | NSW (Ausgrid) | 2pm–8pm | 10pm–7am | 40 |
| EnergyAustralia | QLD (Energex) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 13 |
| EnergyAustralia | VIC (Citipower) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 13 |
| EnergyAustralia | SA (SA Power Networks) | 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight | 10am–4pm | 9 |
| EnergyAustralia | ACT (Evoenergy) | 7am–9am, 5pm–8pm | 10pm–7am | 16 |
| Red Energy | NSW (Ausgrid) | 2pm–8pm | 8pm–2pm | 29 |
| Red Energy | QLD (Energex) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 47 |
| Red Energy | VIC (Citipower) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 9 |
| Red Energy | SA (SA Power Networks) | 3pm–1am, 6am–10am | 10am–3pm | 11 |
| Red Energy | ACT (Evoenergy) | 7am–9am, 5pm–8pm | 11am–3pm | 21 |
| Alinta Energy | NSW (Ausgrid) | 3pm–9pm | 9pm–3pm | 7 |
| Alinta Energy | QLD (Energex) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 5 |
| Alinta Energy | VIC (Citipower) | 4pm–9pm | 11am–4pm | 7 |
| Alinta Energy | SA (SA Power Networks) | 6am–10am, 4pm–midnight | 10am–4pm | 7 |
Most common times across retailers' plans, which may contain errors. Your plan can differ: check your bill or energy fact sheet.
Want the cheapest times to charge a car? See EV electricity plans. Plan-by-plan weekday and Saturday times: New South Wales · Queensland · South Australia · ACT. Compare providers through retailer price reviews or head-to-head comparisons. Want free power? See free electricity plans and the Solar Sharer Offer.
It depends on your network. On weekdays the most common off-peak time across all time-of-use plans is 11am–4pm, and the most common peak is 4pm–9pm. Find your network in the tables above.
On most plans it's the middle of the day, when solar floods the grid: the cheapest rate is at midday on 49%, overnight on 21% and at both on 28% of time-of-use plans. Peak, usually late afternoon to evening, is the most expensive.
Some plans have it. 21 retailers sell NSW plans with at least 3 free hours, most often 11am–2pm. See the Solar Sharer Offer and free electricity plans pages.
On 25% of time-of-use plans there's no peak rate on weekends. The rest charge the weekday times every day.
The middle rate between peak and off-peak. The most common shoulder time is none. Some plans have no shoulder at all.
Your bill or your plan's energy fact sheet lists them. Your network, which sets the base times, is printed on your bill.