Getting your gas connected in Sydney

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How does Sydney’s gas network work?

Which gas suppliers operate in Sydney?

How do I choose a gas provider?

Should I choose a standard or market retail contract?

How do I get a new gas connection?

Where can I find and compare gas plans?

Long story short

Sydney’s gas distribution network is operated by Jemena

You can choose from a range of gas suppliers who set the rates and plans for your home.

Connection times differ for existing homes and new builds

Standard gas connections can take up to 3 business days, while new builds could stretch to 6 to 8 weeks.

Consider overall value when choosing a gas provider

Look at usage, supply charges, discounts and contract terms – not just the cheapest rate.

How does Sydney’s gas network work?

Sydney’s gas is distributed by Jemena Gas Networks as a part of its larger 25,000-kilometre gas line, which supplies much of New South Wales with gas. Most of its natural gas is sourced from the Cooper, Bowen/Surat and Gippsland Basins and delivered to Sydney homes and businesses. Jemena sources and transports the gas, then you have the choice between a range of suppliers, who manage your gas plan.

Which gas suppliers operate in Sydney?

Many gas suppliers operate in Sydney. These gas suppliers are the ones that tell distributors where your gas needs to go and bill you directly for your usage.

For Sydneysiders there’s a fair share of gas plans and providers to choose from. The trick when choosing from the handful of gas service providers is to look at the plans they have on offer and find who can give you better value (or just pick the easy option and get iSelect to help you compare from their range of plans and providers). The list of gas suppliers for Sydney includes:

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• CovaU Energy
• Dodo
• EnergyAustralia
• ENGIE
• Energy Locals
• Globird
• Kogan energy
• Origin Energy
• Powershop
• Sumo
• Red Energy.

Note: iSelect can only help you compare a few providers within this list.

How do I choose a gas provider?

To choose a gas provider that works for you, you’ll need to understand your gas usage patterns and compare plans available at your address. Comparing not just the advertised price but individual rates and fees attached to each plan can help you find a gas plan that matches your home’s usage needs. You should also check if there are any discounts or offers available and whether they’ll actually benefit you. Regularly reviewing your gas plan each year can help ensure it still fits your needs. iSelect can also help you with this step.

Know your usage

Knowing how much gas you use regularly could help you find a plan that gives you more value. For instance, there may be a plan that offers a discount for any gas used after reaching a certain threshold. Having a rough gas usage figure in your head can also help you do the maths and work out what your bill on a new plan could look like. If you’re not sure what your gas usage typically looks like, grab your latest bill and some extra past ones, if you have them, to get a better look at how your home works.

Compare rates and fees

In every plan, you’ll find fixed prices for supply (the cost for being connected to the gas line) and usage rates (the cost of the gas you use), so it’s easy to compare them between plans. Your supply charge is the cost of getting gas delivered to your home, so it won’t change from day to day, even if you don’t use anything. The usage charge, though, will go up and down as you use more or less gas each day. Knowing your average usage amounts can mean it’s potentially easier to spot a usage rate that’ll cost you more than others.

You should also check whether these are fixed or variable rates. Fixed rates will stay the same throughout your contract, while variable rates can change. Make sure to look out for any fees that you might have to pay, like for ending a contract early or for a late bill. They likely won’t be a fixed feature on your bill, but they could still be an important factor when picking a gas plan and provider.

Check for discounts and offers

A number of gas plans come with discounts or offers based on usage, sign-up times or just about any condition. These discounts and offers aren’t just to pull you in; with the right conditions, they can help make your gas plan work for you without you doing any extra work. Making sure the discount works for your home is the important factor here. For instance, if you find an energy plan with a pay-on-time discount but you’ve got a track record of forgetting to pay until the overdue notice, it might not be worth it.

Review regularly

Reviewing your energy bill and seeing what else is on offer from other gas providers could be a good nudge to help you save on gas bills. After all, you might not be able to set the gas prices, but you can always pick usage rates that work better for you. Comparing regularly can help you make sure you’re on a great gas plan for your situation.

Helpful tip

Gas is quickly becoming one of the priciest utilities at home. If you’re a homeowner, ditching gas altogether can be a smart long-term move for your wallet. But if that’s not an option for you, a smart thermostat could still help you monitor and save on your gas bills. These devices can be awesome at monitoring your home’s heating and automatically adjusting the temperature based on the weather or your personal preferences. Since heating can take up around 50% of your energy costs, keeping your home at a stable temperature can keep your heater in check. Yes, you might need a professional to install one, but they can really help you save on energy.

Dean Ipaviz

Sustainability Expert and Presenter

Should I choose a standard or market retail contract?

If you want a potentially lower gas plan, you might have better luck with a market retail contract. These are designed with more competitive rates, discounts and more flexibility. Standard contracts, on the other hand, are a more stable option, especially if you live more remotely, since this can ensure you aren’t charged more for the higher transportation costs to get gas piped to your home. But for some homes, a standard contract could be more expensive than market ones.

Here’s a more comprehensive explanation of what standard and market plans are and how they differ:

• Standard retail contracts are a no-frills option without discounts, lower rates and add-ons. However, they do come with terms and conditions regulated by the Australian Energy Market Commission and National Energy Retail Rules.
• Market retail contracts are set by energy providers and have more bells and whistles; those discounts, fixed rates and bonuses you see advertised. However, they may come with extra terms and conditions decided by the gas retailer.

Each type of contract comes with pros and cons; it just depends on what you’re looking for. Be aware, if you don’t pick a gas plan or you let your plan expire without renewing or jumping over to a new one, you’ll most likely end up on a standard retail contract from your provider.

How do I get a new gas connection?

Once you’ve chosen your gas provider and created an account, you can organise the connection process for your gas installation. Then your distributor will send someone out to check the site before installing a service line. You can then contact a plumber to come and install your gas appliances and start powering your home. If the site is ready, this could take up to 20 business days to complete.

In total, a new gas connection can take about 6 to 8 weeks all up, plus there are more delays around Christmas time since that’s when lots of people move home.

Where can I find and compare gas plans?

Getting connected is just one part of the gas puzzle; figuring out which plan is for you, needs to come first. But we can make it easy for you. Our online comparison tool, as well as our comparison experts available on 1800 664 532, can take you through a range of gas plans from different providers. You can deep-dive and compare to your heart’s content or get it done quickly in your fifth bathroom break at work.