SA electricity bills rise nearly 25 per cent in one year, ABS data reveals

SOUTH Australians are paying almost 25 per cent more for their electricity bills than at the same time last year — more than twice that of the national rise, figures show.

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SOUTH Australians are paying almost 25 per cent more for their electricity bills than at the same time last year and the massive price hike was more than twice that of the national rise, latest figures show.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the average SA power bill was 24.4 per cent higher in December that it was in the same month in 2016.

Sydneysiders faced the next highest energy bill increase of 16.4 per cent and the national average rise was 12.4 per cent.

The regularly updated CPI data showed that SA had the largest change from the corresponding quarter the year earlier since September 2012.

It follows The Advertiser report this week that SA wholesale power prices were continuing to rise, signalling households could soon face further bill hikes.

The increase of 6.8 per cent so far this financial year was, however, far lower than the 64 per cent surge recorded between 2015/16 and 2016/17.

Power prices and reliability are shaping up to be a key political issue this year as the Turnbull Government seeks to convince states to sign up to its proposed National Energy Guarantee.

The SA Labor Government has been leading the charge against the NEG because state Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis believes it would destroy the renewables sector and reduce competition.

But Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said the latest CPI figures were more “damming evidence of Jay Weatherill’s big failed experiment”.

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and SA Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis go to embrace in happier times. Taken just before Premier Jay Weatherill (left) launched a verbal attack on Mr Frydenberg. Picture: Mike Burton

“The increase in retail electricity prices in SA was nearly double the national average due to the mismanagement of the State Labor Government,” he said.

“Last year SA received around 50 per cent of its power from intermittent renewables which not only caused reliability issues but price volatility as well.

“The Premier needs to admit that when it comes to energy policy his ‘big experiment’ has gone horribly wrong and its time he signed on to the National Energy Guarantee to drive prices down.”

Advertiser.com.au has sought comment on the ABS figures from the SA Government.