The Default Market Offer (DMO) — 2026–27
The Default Market Offer, or DMO, is a maximum reference price the Australian Energy Regulator sets each year for households on a standing (default) electricity plan in New South Wales, south-east Queensland and South Australia. It caps what you pay if you've never shopped around, and it doubles as the benchmark every market offer is measured against.
| Region | Annual reference | 2025–26 | Usage c/kWh | Supply c/day | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid Sydney, Newcastle & the Central Coast | $1,899 | $1,965 | 33.1c | 166.2c | −3.4% |
| Endeavour Energy Greater Western Sydney & the Illawarra | $2,328 | $2,411 | 33.7c | 185.1c | −3.4% |
| Essential Energy Regional New South Wales | $2,604 | $2,741 | 35.0c | 272.2c | −5.0% |
| Energex South-east Queensland (Brisbane, Gold & Sunshine Coasts) | $1,988 | $2,143 | 28.0c | 192.0c | −7.2% |
| SA Power Networks South Australia (whole state) | $2,334 | $2,301 | 41.9c | 180.1c | +1.4% |
Annual reference prices assume the AER's model usage per region (Ausgrid 3,900 kWh · Endeavour 4,900 kWh · Essential 4,600 kWh · Energex 4,600 kWh · SA 4,000 kWh). Small-business figures are on each zone page.
DMO 8 against DMO 7
- 4 of the 5 regions' residential references fell for 2026–27: Energex most, from $2,143 to $1,988 (−7.2%, −$155).
- SA Power Networks was the only region to rise: +1.4% (+$33) to $2,334.
- Small-business references fell further than residential in every region, from −6.8% (SA Power Networks) to −11.3% (Essential Energy, $6,222 down to $5,517).
Who sets it, and where it applies
The DMO is set by the Australian Energy Regulator, the national regulator. It applies in three regions: New South Wales, south-east Queensland and South Australia. Other states and territories set their own standing prices through their own bodies, and Victoria runs a separate scheme of its own.
What it actually is
It's a price cap on default offers, not the price everyone pays. If you've never chosen a plan, or you're on your retailer's basic standing offer, the DMO limits what you can be charged, worked out at a model level of annual usage. Retailers are free to compete below it, and most market offers sit under the DMO. Think of it as a ceiling and a yardstick rather than a set rate.
What changed for 2026-27
The 2026-27 determination, known as DMO 8, brings two structural changes. The regulator now publishes capped daily supply and usage rates, not only a single annual total, which makes it easier to check each charge on a plan rather than one headline figure. And retailers in DMO regions must now offer the new Solar Sharer Offer, a plan with free electricity in a set midday window.
Why it matters to you
The DMO gives you a quick test of whether your plan is expensive. If your rates sit well above the reference price, you're likely paying too much; if a market offer is below it, that's the direction to look. It's the closest thing to a like-for-like baseline across retailers.
When it changes
The DMO resets every 1 July, alongside the rest of Australia's regulated prices. We re-verify our figures at that reset and date each page so you can see when it was last checked. This is general information, not energy-retail advice.
Related
- Ausgrid prices
- Endeavour Energy prices
- Essential Energy prices
- Energex prices
- SA Power Networks prices
- Victoria's VDO
- Solar Sharer Offer
DMO 8 applies 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027. Figures reconcile to the AER's published tariff caps.