Electricity Connection Fees

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What are electricity connection fees?

How much are electricity connection fees?

When do I need to pay a connection fee?

How are connection fees paid?

Are there electricity disconnection fees?

Plan ahead and power up your new home

Long story short

Connection fees apply when moving homes

Even if your new home is already connected to the grid, you’ll need to pay to switch the power on and connect it to your energy account.

The amount you’ll pay to connect depends on your distributor

Your connection fees are decided by your energy distributor, with different costs for homes with smart or analogue meters and across different locations.

You’ll see your connection fee on your first bill

Your energy distributor is the one who charges you, but your provider will take care of it, and then you’ll pay them back.

What are electricity connection fees?

An electricity connection fee, sometimes called a reconnection fee, is what your energy distributor charges to activate or transfer your power. When you move to a new house, the previous resident might have disconnected the electricity to make sure they aren’t footing the bill after they leave. But whether they have or not, you’ll generally still need to pay a connection fee to get the power put in your name.

While the house itself will usually already be all wired up to the main grid, your connection fee is basically a metering service cost to put your name on the meter. Even if you’ve got solar panels with a feed-in tariff or you’re on a standing offer, you’ll need to pay the fee to connect your new home to your new electricity plan.

How much are electricity connection fees?

To figure out how much your electricity connection charges might be, you’ll need to know who your energy distributor is, not your service provider. Your distributor is the one who transports your energy, while your provider is the one who bundles it all up into a nice, neat plan for you. Think of it like a café (the provider) and the coffee beans they source (sent by the distributor). While there are plenty of providers to pick from, Australia only has a handful of distributors, and each distribution network has its own fees. You can find your distributor on the Australian Energy Regulator’s website.

Here are what your connection fees could look like, depending on your distributor. These fees can vary depending on the electricity setup and whether you’ve asked for a connection outside business hours.

When do I need to pay a connection fee?

Your connection fee won’t need to be paid right away to get the power surging through your new property. After you’ve submitted your connection application and got your home all hooked up, it’ll usually pop up on your first bill at your new address. So you can forget about adding another item to your moving budget for the time being.

How are connection fees paid?

Even though your distributor sets this service fee, it’ll come through on the bill from your energy provider, since they’ll have made the payment on your behalf. On your first bill at your new address, there’ll usually be an item line that says ‘connection fee’. Then you can just pay your bill as you normally would, whether that’s by card or in person.

Helpful tip

Forgot to sort out your electricity connection before move-in day? It happens. Luckily, most providers can arrange same-day or urgent electricity hook-up to get your appliances plugged in and your new place feeling more like a home. Just keep in mind that if you want a same-day connection, there’s usually a cut-off time and a higher cost than for standard connections. Checking what your provider offers before moving day rolls up can mean you’re not left in the dark, literally.

Julia Paszka

General Manager – Utilities

Are there electricity disconnection fees?

Yes. Along with connection fees, there are also disconnection fees to make sure you aren’t still paying to keep the lights on at your old place long after you’ve left. When you’re moving home, you’ll need to organise a disconnection date and meter read for your old property, as well as setting up your new connection date. And of course, the disconnection fee will appear on the final bill from your old place.

Plan ahead and power up your new home

Moving house is chaotic enough without mysteries showing up in your energy bill. Whether you’re moving house or starting fresh, knowing how to get your home connected and how much it could cost you can save you a big headache later on. And while you’re mid-packing and questioning how much stuff you own, it’s also a great time to re-evaluate your current energy plan. Whether your provider isn’t available in your new area, or you just want a check-in to make sure your plan works for your new home, iSelect can help. You can do a quick comparison from a range of providers and plans with our online tool, or you can call our energy comparison team up at 1800 664 532.