Synergy's A2 tariff: who pays it and what it means for solar

Most Perth households are on Synergy's A1 tariff — a flat rate per kilowatt-hour for all consumption. But households consuming more than 50kWh per day on average are automatically moved to the A2 tariff, which uses a tiered pricing structure. If you're a large Perth household considering solar, the A2 tariff affects your savings calculation.

What is the Synergy A2 tariff?

The A2 tariff is Synergy's residential tariff for high-consumption households. It replaces the flat A1 rate with a two-tier structure:

| Consumption tier | Rate (FY2026–27) | |---|---| | First 1,500kWh per billing period (~50kWh/day) | Same as A1: 33.2621c/kWh | | Above 1,500kWh per billing period | Higher "excess" rate |

Synergy moves households to A2 automatically when their consumption history shows average daily usage exceeding 50kWh. For most Perth households, this means:

• Large homes with multiple occupants (5+)
• Homes with electric resistance hot water systems drawing significant power
• Properties with pool pumps, bore pumps, or workshop equipment
• Homes where all cooking and heating is electric (no gas)

The A2 tariff's higher rate for excess consumption is designed to reflect the higher network cost of supplying large amounts of residential power.

How to check if you're on A2

Your Synergy bill shows your tariff type in the account details or tariff section. Log into your Synergy Online account (my.synergy.net.au) and view your account — the tariff classification is shown on the billing details screen.

If you've been consuming more than 50kWh/day and haven't been moved to A2, contact Synergy. Tariff classification is based on average consumption history and may lag changes in your actual usage pattern.

A2 tariff and solar economics

For A2 households, solar has a stronger economic case than for A1 households, for one specific reason: the excess-tier rate is higher than the A1 flat rate.

Every kilowatt-hour of solar self-consumption that avoids drawing from the grid at the excess tier (above 1,500kWh/billing period) is worth more than the standard A1 saving.

The optimisation implication: For A2 households, maximising self-consumption is especially valuable. Rather than a baseline A1 self-consumption value of 33.26c/kWh, your excess-tier savings are higher per kWh. A battery that shifts solar generation to the evening (avoiding grid imports at the excess rate) is more economically compelling for an A2 household than for an A1 household.

DEBS export rates don't change for A2 households

The DEBS export rates are independent of your import tariff — all Perth solar households receive 10c/kWh for Super Off-Peak exports (9am–3pm) and 2c/kWh at other times, regardless of whether they're on A1, A2, or A3.

This means the "export vs self-consumption" calculation differs for A2 households:

• Self-consumption value: your A2 excess rate (higher than A1)
• Export value: 10c/kWh Super Off-Peak (same as everyone)
• Implication: self-consumption is worth even more relative to export for A2 households

For A2 households, a battery that achieves high self-consumption rates has a stronger payback case than for A1 households.

Can you switch from A2 back to A1?

If your consumption has reduced (fewer occupants, replaced resistive hot water with a heat pump, etc.) and you're now consistently below 50kWh/day, you can request a tariff review from Synergy. Synergy will review your consumption history and reclassify you to A1 if your average daily consumption has come down below the threshold.

Solar can trigger a tariff downgrade: A 10kW solar system in Perth generates approximately 40–45kWh/day on average. For a household previously consuming 75kWh/day from the grid (A2 territory), solar might reduce net grid consumption to 30–35kWh/day — below the 50kWh/day A2 threshold. In this scenario, installing solar could shift you from A2 back to A1, which affects your ongoing tariff structure.

Discuss this possibility with your installer when modelling payback on a large solar system.

The A3 demand tariff (for even larger users)

There is a third residential tariff — the A3 — for very large residential consumers, which includes a demand charge (a charge based on peak demand in kilowatts, not just total kilowatt-hours consumed). The A3 is uncommon in residential properties but can apply to very large homes with significant demand spikes from workshop equipment, large pool systems, or multiple EV chargers.

If you've received correspondence from Synergy about the A3 tariff, the demand charge structure makes solar economics more complex — solar reduces kilowatt-hours consumed but doesn't necessarily reduce peak demand. A battery with demand response capability can address this, but the analysis requires load profiling rather than simple savings estimates.

For most Perth households asking about A2, A3 is not relevant.

Supply charge: same for A1 and A2

The daily supply charge (the fixed daily amount Synergy charges regardless of consumption) is the same for A1 and A2 residential tariffs — approximately $1.28/day (FY2026–27). Solar does not reduce the supply charge.

The Synergy A2 tariff applies to Perth households consuming more than 50kWh/day on average, applying a higher rate above the first 1,500kWh per billing period. For A2 households, solar has an enhanced economic case because every kilowatt-hour of self-consumption avoids the A2 excess rate (higher than A1), while DEBS export rates are unchanged. A battery that maximises self-consumption is particularly compelling for A2 households. Large solar installations can also reduce consumption below the A2 threshold, potentially returning you to A1 classification.