One of the biggest influences on energy bills in Tasmania is the weather. In fact, the average monthly energy consumption for Aurora’s customers during winter last year was 51% higher than in the summer months. This is mainly due to the need to use appliances like heaters and dryers, longer hot showers, and extra lighting during the darker months. 

If you're comparing bills, make sure you're comparing from the same time last year. 

Find out how to better understand your bill here.

Do you have more people at home? Housemates, guests, a new baby; all can have an impact on the amount of power you're using. 

Many households have also been impacted by COVID-19, including having to spend more time at home. Working and schooling from home means heaters, computers, TVs and other appliances are being used more often. Even if you're not working from home, you've likely spent a lot more weekends in than normal due to restrictions. 

Have you purchased a new or larger model of an existing appliance? Or are you using certain appliances more than usual? Appliances like plug-in heaters, clothes dryers, fish tanks, computers and plasma TVs are all common causes of high energy consumption. Is it possible you may have an appliance that's old or faulty, which is drawing a lot more energy than it should? 

If you're concerned about how much energy your appliances are using, look into a hiring (for free!) a HEAT kit and do your own energy audit. 

Has your bill been estimated? If the meter reader hasn't been able to access your meter to read it, where possible, your account will be produced based on your average usage at the same time last year. Read more about how this may effect your bill here. 

Has your previous bill been estimated? If your current bill is an actual read, check if the one before was estimated. If it is, your bill may be higher because your last bill was 'under-estimated' and this bill is 'catching up'. Read more here. 

If you have a basic, manually-read meter, it is possible your meter has been incorrectly read. 

You can do a self-read to confirm if the reads are correct. Use these instructions and compare your readings to your bill.

If your meter has been read incorrectly and you don't want to wait for the next read for the discrepancy to be fixed up, contact us to discuss your options. 

If you have an advanced meter (one which records your usage every 30 minutes and sends your data back to us remotely) you won't be able to self read your meter. We have your usage data in our system, so you can always contact us if you have any questions!  

• Check your concession discount has has been added to your bill. 
• Have you paid off your previous bill in full? If a balance has been carried over from your previous bill, it might make your current bill higher than expected.
• Check your billing period. How many days have you been billed for? Quarterly bills are around 90 days. If you've recently moved house your first bill for that property might have been for a shorter time depending on when you moved and your quarterly billing cycle.   
• Has there been a price change? Each year prices for standing offer customers are reviewed. This year prices decreased by 7.11% for residential customers and 11% for small business customers. Read more here.

A good way to find out why your power use is high is to check when and where are you using most of your power.

Flat Rate - When you're on a flat rate plan (tariffs 31 and 41) your lights and power, and your heating and hot water run on separate tariffs. Look at your bill to see where you're using the majority of your power. Find out more here. 

Peak and Off-Peak - Check to see if you're taking advantage of the cheaper off-peak times by finding out if the majority of your usage is during off-peak. Find out more here.

Are you on the right energy plan? Did you know you could save just by being on the right energy plan? Find out if you're on the best plan for your household with our right plan calculator.

Basic meter - If you have a basic meter you can montior your usage and find out what might be using the most energy in 3 simple steps. Find out more here. 

Advanced meter - Advanced meters record your usage every 15 minutes and that data is sent to us on a daily basis. While you won't be able to self read your advanced meter, you can contact us to get your energy data four times per year free of charge. 

aurora+ - For those wanting even more control and visibility, aurora+ gives you access to your daily energy data, so you can see exactly what you're using, and what it's costing you down to the hour.

 Find out more about aurora+ 

If you need some extra time to pay your bill, we have both short and long-term payment plans available.

You can choose a short-term extension to pay your bill in installments, or opt for something longer like out 12 or 18 month plans, which let you pay off your outstanding balance as well as staying on top of your future bills. 

Set up a payment extension quickly and easily here. 

Or, read more about your payment plan options here.

The most common cause of higher bills is higher usage. There are many easy and cost effective ways you can make your home more energy efficient. See our energy advice page for all the tips and tricks you need to save big on your power. 

If you're wanting even more control over your power, why not check out our new digital product aurora+ which lets you see your daily usage and pay when you want, meaning you'll always know exactly what you're using and what you owe. You can say goodbye to bill surprises with aurora+. Find out more here.

If you're needing some extra support, our Your Energy Support (YES) program can help. Our YES team can help you take back control of your energy usage and get on top of your bills with tailored support, advice and payment options. Find out how YES can help you here. 

If you've been impacted by COVID-19, we can help. Aurora Energy has established a COVID-19 Customer Support Program supported by a $5M Customer Support Fund specifically to help our residential and small business customers impacted by the pandemic. Find out more here.

If you're still unsure about your bill and would like to talk to someone about it, you can contact our team via the form below. 

Our team will look into your account and get back to you within 5 business days.