Connection fees and charges
What we charge for customer connection services is controlled by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER)1. These services include new connections, changing an existing connection, and the ongoing connection and supply of electricity across a connection point.
The AER has classified our regulated distribution services (which include customer connection services) into:
- Standard Control Services - our services for basic connections, some metering services, and maintaining the network
- Alternative Control Services - our services for negotiated connections, asset relocations, and specific customer requested services that incur a fee.
Please read more about these below.
Free connections
Basic connections that don't require any upgrades/changes to our network - e.g. most homes, solar systems under 10kW, batteries and small businesses - are generally free of charge.
Connections with charges
If there will be any network charges for your connection application - e.g. if we have to upgrade/change our network for your connection - an estimate will be included in your connection offer for your approval. This information sheet may help to give you an indication of the possible charges:
- Our 2024-25 Connection Fees and Charges Information Sheet (PDF 170.3 kb) outlines the fees and charges for the most common connections to our network.
Standard control services (SCS)
Standard Control Services (SCS) are core distribution services for the access and supply of electricity to customers. They include:
- Network services (e.g. construction, maintenance, and repair of our electricity distribution network)
- Some connection services (e.g. small customer connections)
- Type 7 metering services (i.e. unmetered supply).
We recover our costs in providing SCS through network tariffs billed to electricity retailers. However, under certain circumstances, you may be required to pay a capital contribution towards a SCS.
Alternative control services (ACS)
Alternative Control Services (ACS) are customer specific and/or customer requested services.
ACS are either price capped services (fee-based services) for standard types of services, or price on application (quoted services) for services with a scope not known in advance, such as:
- Connection services
- relate to the electrical or physical connection of a customer to the network. Examples include temporary connections, de-energisations, re-energisations, temporary connections, and removal of a connection (supply abolishment)
- Metering services
- include Type 5 and 6 default metering services (meter maintenance, reading and data services) and supplementary metering services (Type 5 and 6 meter removal and disposal, meter re-configuration and customer requested meter investigations)
- Public lighting services
- relate to the provision, installation, and maintenance of public lighting assets and emerging public lighting technology
- Network additional (ancillary) services
- customer and third party initiated services related to the common electricity distribution network services but for which a separate charge applies. Examples include network safety services, non-standard network data requests, and removal or re-arrangement of network assets.
The whole cost of an ACS is paid by the customer who benefits from the connection service.
For more information on our fees and charges as approved by the AER, please refer to our Pricing & tariffs web page and our Connection Policy (PDF 685.0 kb).
Footnote
- We are subject to economic regulation by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) under the National Electricity Law and the National Electricity Rules. Under these laws, the AER is responsible for regulating the income that we can earn and the prices that we can charge for customer connection services.