Electricity retailers vs suppliers
The electricity market involves both electricity retailers and electricity suppliers, each playing distinct roles in the complex energy ecosystem. Electricity suppliers generate or source the electricity, often utilizing a mix of power generation methods such as coal, natural gas, renewables, and more. These suppliers feed the produced electricity into the grid.
On the other hand, electricity retailers act as intermediaries between consumers and suppliers, offering various electricity plans and services. An electricity retailer is who sends you a quarterly or monthly invoices. The retailers buy the energy from Power Water, who own and manage the network.
Residents in the Top End can pick between two electricity retailers: Jacana Energy or Rim Fire Energy. This means you can decide who issues your bills each quarter or month.
An easy place to start with your energy management is to compare the different energy offers. When choosing an electricity retailer, it's essential to compare rates, consider customer reviews for service reliability, check for any additional fees or discounts and look at the available solar feed in tariff. Keep an eye out for any environmental initiatives or renewable energy options if sustainability is a priority. Taking these factors into account will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your preferences and requirements.
Compare electricity rates 
To view the current electricity rates offered by Jacana Energy and Rim Fire Energy visit these sites below:
Jacana Residential pricing and tariffs
Rimfire Energy Product Price Sheet
Electricity bills
Understanding how to read your electricity bill is important for managing your energy consumption, identifying potential cost-saving opportunities, and making informed decisions to promote energy efficiency in your home.
Your bill is made up of the amount of energy you consume, multiplied by the price per unit. The price per unit can vary according to the time of day you use your electricity and the kind of contract you’re on.
Your electricity tariff has 2 parts:
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a daily supply charge (sometimes called a service charge or fixed charge): This daily supply charge is the cost of getting electricity or gas to your residence (even if you don’t use any) and appears on your bill as a total amount, or in cents per day
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a usage charge (a consumption or variable charge): The usage charge is the cost of the electricity or gas you use and appears on your bills in cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh) for electricity. Some bills might show more than one usage charge, for example the Time of Use tariffs offered by both Jacana and Rim Fire. This is split into peak and off-peak charges and there are different rates for when the energy is consumed.
To help you understand how to read your bill, Jacana Energy have a helpful guide on their website:
