Should I switch to Tariff 93 in Tasmania?
If you’re looking to save on your power bills and make smarter use of clean energy, it might be time to take a closer look at Tariff 93.
At This is Electric, we often recommend that our customers switch to the Time of Use Tariff 93 — especially if you’ve got solar, or you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
It’s a simple change that can make a real difference to both your wallet and the planet.
What is Tariff 93?
Tariff 93 is what’s known as a time-of-use electricity tariff.
That means the price you pay for power changes depending on when you use it.
Peak times (weekday mornings 7–10am and evenings 4–9pm): power costs more.
Off-peak times (all other times, including weekends): power costs much less.
This setup encourages households to shift more of their energy use into off-peak periods when demand is lower and electricity is cheaper.
The easiest things to shift to off-peak periods include running the washing machine, dishwasher, hot water system and charging electric vehicles.
Many customers in Tassie are still on the old Tariff 31/41 set up. This is costing many customers more than it needs to.
Check out a previous power bill to see what Tariff you’re on, and get in touch with us if you have any questions at all.
Why it’s often cheaper
A few years ago, Sustainable Living Tasmania analysed 36 Tasmanian households and found that most people saved around 12% on their electricity bills after switching to Tariff 93 and adding a timer to their hot water system.
That’s roughly $280 per year back in your pocket. 💡
The biggest savings come from:
✅ Using more power during off-peak times (like daytime, overnight or weekends)
✅ Installing a hot water timer to heat water in the middle of the day when power is cheapest
✅ Having solar panels and increasing your solar self-consumption (using more of your own solar energy instead of exporting it)
An efficient electric hot water heat pump, installed with a timer to turn on during off-peak power
A win for solar homes 🌞
If you’ve got solar panels, Tariff 93 makes even more sense.
With everything on a single tariff, your solar energy first goes towards powering your whole home, not just part of it.
That means you can use more of the power your solar panels generate, and export less energy to the grid given the small feed-in rate.
In fact, households in case studies saw an increase of 10–20% in solar self-consumption, saving between $145 and $275 per year.
Solar power means that Tariff 93 makes even more sense
Smarter energy use, made simple
The great thing about Tariff 93 is that it doesn’t require big changes to your lifestyle. You can save just by:
Running your dishwasher or washing machine after 9pm or during the middle of the day
Setting your hot water cylinder to heat between 10am and 4pm via a timer (or 11am–5pm in daylight savings)
Charging your EV during off-peak times by using a timer, or enable solar only charging via a smart EV charger
Using smart plugs or appliance timers to automate when things run
How to switch
If you’re still on the older Tariff 31 and 41 setup, moving to Tariff 93 is easy.
Just contact your electricity retailer — Aurora Energy or 1st Energy — and ask to switch to Tariff 93.
If you have an older meter, they’ll install an advanced meter for free.
Once you’ve made the switch, we can help with setting up timers or automation to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.
When Tariff 93 might not be the right fit ⚠️
While most Tasmanian households benefit from switching to Tariff 93, it’s not the best choice for everyone.
If your household uses a lot of power during peak periods — like running inefficient electric heating on cold winter mornings and evenings — your bills could actually increase.
Tariff 93 charges more for electricity during those times, so shifting your usage to off-peak hours is key to seeing savings.
It’s also worth knowing that once you switch, Aurora Energy and 1st Energy don’t currently allow customers to revert to the old Tariff 31/41 setup.
So, before you make the change, it’s a good idea to look over your past bills or talk to an electrician who understands energy usage patterns (that’s where we can help).
We can review your household setup — including heating, hot water, and solar — to make sure Tariff 93 will actually work in your favour.
Why we generally recommend it
At This is Electric, we’re all about helping Tasmanians to use energy smartly and affordably.
Switching to Tariff 93 and changing some of your power usage habits is one of the simplest steps you can take to:
Lower your power bills 💰
Use more of your own solar energy ☀️
Reduce pressure on the grid ⚡
Cut your carbon footprint 🌏
Every small shift towards smarter energy use helps us move closer to a fair and sustainable energy future for Tasmania.