Queensland has an installed generation capacity of around 18,000 megawatts, excluding rooftop photovoltaic systems (December 2024).

Most of the electricity generated is fed into the interconnected grid powering most of eastern and southern Australia. This is managed through the National Electricity Market (NEM) by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Some areas of Queensland rely on generators that produce electricity within isolated networks that are not connected to the NEM. These are generally small networks with few customers.

Open electricity generation map of Queensland

Also consider...

• Find out more about the electricity generation in the National Electricity Market.
• View the Queensland electricity generation map.
• Learn more about the Queensland Government's energy policies and initiatives.

The electricity transmission grid consists of electric lines, substations and associated equipment that transports electricity between generation facilities and the distribution networks or directly to some large customers.

There are currently 3 transmission network service providers authorised to operate in Queensland:

• Powerlink Queensland
• AusNet Transmission Group Pty Ltd, trading as AusNet Services.

Powerlink Queensland is the Queensland Government owned corporation (GOC) that owns, develops, operates and maintains the majority of the high-voltage electricity transmission network in Queensland.

Powerlink's network extends 1,700km from Cairns to the New South Wales border, and comprises 15,449 circuit km of transmission lines and 152 substations.

Most of the Queensland power stations in the east coast network are directly connected to Powerlink's transmission system. The Powerlink network is connected to New South Wales via the large-capacity Queensland – New South Wales Interconnector (QNI) and the smaller Terranora interconnector.

Electricity is supplied to most Queensland customers via an electricity distribution system, which connects the high-voltage transmission system to individual customer premises.

These distribution systems (also called supply networks) consist of electric lines, substations and associated equipment.

Queensland's electricity distribution networks are extensive, with a total line length of about 232,000km. Three distributors supply 2.3 million industrial, commercial and domestic electricity consumers.

Energex operates in South East Queensland. It has a distribution area of 25,000km² which includes more than:

• 56,000km of overhead powerlines and underground power cables
• 703,000 power poles (including customer and public light poles)
• 400,000 street lights
• 50,000 distribution transformers.

View the Energex Limited distribution authority (PDF, 431KB).

Ergon Energy operates in rural and regional Queensland. Its network covers over 1 million km² and consists of more than:

• 178,000km of powerlines and underground cables
• 1 million power poles.

View the Ergon Energy Corporation Limited distribution authority (PDF, 10MB).

Essential Energy (formerly known as Country Energy) is a New South Wales distributor which has a supply network that extends into Queensland near Goondiwindi. Essential Energy holds an authority to operate in Queensland and Origin Energy provides electricity as the retailer within this area.

Electricity retailers purchase electricity from the wholesale market, pay to have it transported then sell it to individual customers.

The Queensland Government introduced full retail competition for electricity and gas markets in July 2007. Since then, all customers who are connected to the national electricity grid have had the right to choose their electricity retailer.

Retail electricity prices in South East Queensland (SEQ) were deregulated on 1 July 2016, increasing competition and resulting in more retailers entering the SEQ market.

There are now more than 20 privately owned licensed electricity retailers in Queensland actively competing with market offerings. The government-owned Ergon Energy provides retail services to regional Queensland where electricity prices remain regulated.

Electricity retailers operate under the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF), a set of national laws, rules and regulations governing the sale and supply of energy to consumers.

Also consider...

• Visit Energy Made Easy to find the best small business energy plan.
• Find out more about electricity prices in Queensland.
• Find contact details for your electricity retailer.