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Average electricity bill in the Northern Territory — 2026–27

Derived estimate · AER benchmark × NT Electricity Pricing Order 2026–27 (Jacana Energy standard residential)

$2,107–$2,248/year for a 2–3 person household

≈ $527–$562 a quarter, at the Power and Water rate of 31.7c/kWh + 62.5c/day supply.

Benchmark basis: ABCB Zone 1 proxy (Darwin) — QLD-sampled Zones 1 & 3 table (labelled proxy — the AER excludes the NT)

Derived average bill by household size, NT (2026–27)
HouseholdBenchmark usageAnnual billPer quarter
1 person3,759 kWh$1,419$355
2 people5,933 kWh$2,107$527
3 people6,376 kWh$2,248$562
4 people9,019 kWh$3,085$771
5+ people9,715 kWh$3,306$826
How to read this: these are derived estimates — the AER's published benchmark usage priced at the 2026–27 reference rate for Power and Water — not a survey of actual bills. The AER benchmarks exclude the NT — these are the far-north-Queensland climate-zone figures used as a labelled proxy for Darwin's climate zone, not an official NT benchmark.

NT bills in context

  • The Northern Territory’s 2-person figure of $2,107 ranks 2nd lowest of the 7 jurisdictions with an AER benchmark; Victoria is lowest at $1,794 and Tasmania highest at $3,067.
  • A second person adds 2,174 kWh and $689 a year; a five-person household uses 2.6 times the power of a single person but works out at $661 a head, against $1,419 for one.

Electricity bill estimator

Power and Water

A 2-person household uses roughly 4,000–5,500 kWh a year.

$2,107 per year ≈ $527/quarter
Supply charge (62.5c/day × 365)
$227.94
Usage (31.7c/kWh × 5,933 kWh)
$1,879.50

Rates: NT Electricity Pricing Order 2026–27 (Jacana Energy standard residential), effective 1 July 2026 (GST inclusive). This is the government reference/standing rate for Northern Territory (Jacana Energy retail) — market offers can sit below it. Full Power and Water price breakdown →

Frequently asked questions

How is the average NT bill worked out?
It's a derived estimate, not a survey: the AER's residential consumption benchmark for ABCB Zone 1 proxy (Darwin) — QLD-sampled Zones 1 & 3 table gives typical annual kWh by household size, and we run that usage through the NT Electricity Pricing Order 2026–27 (Jacana Energy standard residential) rates for the Power and Water network (supply × 365 + usage × kWh). The methodology page shows the full working.
Why does my bill differ from these figures?
Three reasons: your usage differs from the benchmark, your retailer's market offer prices below (or above) the reference rate used here, and your distribution zone may differ — check your zone's exact rates.
Do bigger households always pay more?
Per household yes, per person no — the benchmark kWh rises with each extra person but far less than proportionally, because heating, cooling and the fridge are shared. That's visible in the table above.

Related

Sources — figures current as at 17 July 2026.

Benchmark edition: AER 'Electricity and gas consumption benchmarks for residential customers 2020' (Frontier Economics, 9 Dec 2020) — the final edition: the AEMC removed the update obligation on 17 Aug 2023; no newer refresh exists. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU. Rates effective 1 July 2026.