Small Business Electricity Credit Program 2024 (Australia)

Deadline: 31 January 2025

The Australian Government is currently accepting applications for its Small Business Electricity Credit Program to provide energy bill relief for WA small businesses and charitable organisations operating in embedded networks.

The Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) has been identified as the agency that will administer and deliver the Small Business Electricity Credit program (“the payment”) to the remaining eligible small businesses and charitable organisations that operate in embedded networks in WA.

Embedded networks include examples such as shopping centres, businesses operating from airports, ports and industrial parks, businesses that have a sub-meter linked to a master meter controlled by the landlord, and circumstances where landlords purchase electricity from energy providers and on-sell the electricity to their small business tenants.

Funding Information

Eligible small businesses and charities that receive electricity through an embedded network supply arrangement, may apply for and receive a one-off $725 payment via the SmartyGrants portal.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Small Business Electricity Credit, the applicant must meet all the criteria listed below:
- Have held a valid and active ABN as a small business or charity on 17 June 2024 and for the period covered by their application.
- Be a small business or charity consuming less than 50 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year or where this is not measured, be liable for less than $15,000 per annum in electricity costs.
- The small businesses or charity was incurring electricity costs on 17 June 2024.
- If not on an embedded network/submetering arrangement, would otherwise fall within the scope of one of the following electricity retail tariff classes as specified in the Energy Operators (Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation) (Charges) By-laws 2006 or the Energy Operators (Regional Power Corporation) (Charges) By-laws 2006:
  - C1 or C2
  - D1 or D2
  - L1or L2
  - R1 or R2
- Must occupy a commercial premises as owner or tenant.
- Not be directly billed by Synergy or Horizon Power.
- Be receiving power on-supplied via an embedded network/submetering arrangement.
- Not be:
  - A government entity.
  - A telecommunication provider.
  - An authorised deposit taking institution.
  - A major mining or resources operator.
  - An account for temporary electricity supply for the purposes of constructing premises.
  - An account where consumption is reasonably expected to exceed 50MWh over 12-month period.