Electricity customer connection pricing
Note these prices are effective from 1 September 2025.
Network ready pathway
| Category | Price (excluding GST) |
|---|---|
| New connection livening (new ICP connection) | $400 |
| Modification (modify ICP connection) | $700 |
| Decommission ICP connection | $400 |
Simple pathway
| Category | Description | Price (excluding GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard new connection | Urban Residential and Small Commercial standard connections up to three phase 63 amps | $4,800 |
| Rural Residential and Small Commercial standard connections up to three phase 63 amps | $9,900 | |
| New connection for residential subdivision | Urban or rural up to (and including) five lots | Per connection charge at the relevant residential standard connection rate |
| Greater than five lots | Price per job | |
| Simple non-standard | Simple connection, modification or decommission for which a standard price is not applicable | Price per job |
Complex pathway
| Category | Price (excluding GST) |
|---|---|
| Complex connections | Price per job |
| Complex modification | Price per job |
| Complex decommission | Price per job |
Design fees
| Category | Price (excluding GST) |
|---|---|
| Simple standard | No charge |
| Simple non-standard | $1,000 |
| Complex | Price per job |
Easements
| Category | Price (excluding GST) |
|---|---|
| Easement contribution* | $3,000 |
Pricing descriptions
New connection livening - network ready new ICP connection
A new ICP connection will be assessed as network ready if Powerco determines that all of the following criteria are met:
- A connection point (eg pole, pillar, transformer or ring main unit) is identified that meets Powerco's network standards
- There is available capacity on the connection point
- The size of connection requested can be accommodated with no impact on existing infrastructure design
Network ready - modify ICP connection
A modification to an ICP connection will be assessed as network ready if Powerco determines that all of the following criteria are met:
- There is available capacity on the connection point
- The size of connection requested can be accommodated with no impact on existing infrastructure design
Network ready - decommission ICP connection
A decommission of an ICP connection will be assessed as network ready if Powerco determines that all of the following criteria are met:
- The correct ICP is identified
- Decommissioning the connection will have no impact on existing infrastructure design
Standard connection
This means new connections to our existing network which are:
- Up to three phases and 63 amps
- Residential or small commercial
- Eligible for a standard residential or small commercial price category
- Within 30 metres of the existing low voltage or 11kV distribution network supply point, with no more than one new pole or new pillar
- No new easements required
- Intended consumption is within normal expectations for connection size.
- A maximum of five lots within a single request
- Livening of the connection charged separately as a network ready new ICP connection
Residential subdivisions
Standard price connections available for residential subdivisions where:
- Up to five lots require new connection
- Qualifies for standard connection criteria
Simple non-standard
A job will be assessed as simple non-standard if Powerco determines that all of the following criteria are met:
- If any easements are required, the landowner is the customer (not a third party)
- The customer does not require multiple design options or significant input into the design
- The job does not qualify for standard pricing for any reason (including because third party costs apply)
Design fee
Where a request is simple, but does not meet criteria for a standard price, Powerco requires a design fee to be paid to prepare a design to propose an offer to the customer. If the offer is accepted, the design fee will be factored into the contribution that the customer is required pay towards the build work. If the customer declines the offer, the design fee paid will be retained to cover the costs of preparing the design for the offer.
Easement contribution
If a customer's work requires an easement, we will charge $3000 to cover our legal costs. This fee only covers our costs, you are responsible for paying your own costs. We may issue a further invoice for our costs, if they exceed $3000, but we will let you know if this is likely to happen.
FAQs
From 1 September, we’ll be changing our Customer Works Service model and customers will work with us directly, rather than go to Powerco Approved Contractors (PACs) to get their electricity projects done.
As part of this process, we will have set prices for new connections, up to three phase 63 amps. We will also have standard prices for creating new ICPs and modifying or decommissioning existing ICPs. This means standard jobs will have fixed prices rather than being calculated individually each time.
Currently, Powerco calculates its contribution toward customer works every time, following the guidelines in our Capital Contributions Guide. The customer then pays the remaining balance.
Going forward, customers of standard jobs can find out upfront the cost for their job. This will be the only cost the customer will pay. Powerco will cover any additional costs beyond that fixed amount, if necessary. We’ll also be updating our Capital Contributions Guide to reflect this new approach.
We are committed to continuously improving the experience we offer our customers. A key part of this is ensuring our pricing is transparent, fair, and easy to understand.
With the introduction of standard pricing, this change will:
- Streamline access to our services by simplifying the process for common job types like new connections, decommissions, and modifications.
- Ensure that customers with similar connection requirements pay a consistent amount to connect that isn’t linked to network-specific factors such as which side of the road the poles are on.
- Remove the first-mover disadvantage so early customers aren’t penalised for being the first to connect in a new area or development.
The new pricing will be effective from 1 September 2025 when the new Customer Works Service begins. Until then, our existing customer works processes will be in place. We intend to review the prices regularly going forwards.
Over the next 12 months, we’ll be collecting data on job requests and associated costs. This information will help us:
- Review and refine our pricing model to ensure it remains fair and effective
- Assess the potential to expand standardised pricing to include additional job types - such as larger greenfield developments, modifications to existing supply and relocations of existing services
This approach will support more consistent and transparent pricing across a broader range of customer works.
It depends on the type of job. Some customers may pay a little more than they would have under the previous approach, while others may pay less. That’s because all customers will now pay a fixed portion of the average cost for the specific job type.
This change is designed to make pricing more consistent, transparent, and easier to understand - so customers know upfront what to expect, regardless of where they’re connecting or modifying their service.
Each EDB calculates their standard pricing differently due to differences in their networks (size, location and other network characteristics) and other costs. Our aim is to ensure pricing is consistent, transparent, and easy to understand for our customers.
No, livening is priced separately. Refer to information about the ‘New connection livening (new ICP connection)’ for a network ready livening.
Where a two-phase connection is requested, but the development was designed for single-phase connections, additional work may be required. Whether this is possible - and what it will cost - depends on whether there's enough space in the existing box to install new fuses, or if the box needs to be replaced entirely. As this requires a contractor to inspect the site, these jobs are treated as non-standard modifications and are priced individually based on the specific requirements of each case.
If a new transformer is required for a subdivision:
- For subdivisions of up to five lots, standard pricing may apply – so the customer could pay the standard price per lot, and Powerco will pay the remaining costs for the transformer installation – providing it meets the criteria for a standard new connection.
- For subdivisions of six or more lots, standard pricing does not apply. These jobs could be delivered via the Simple or Complex pathway, depending on complexity and easement requirements. The amount payable will be calculated as part of the application process.
If a house is being demolished and rebuilt, and the existing underground supply is reused from the same point of supply fuse to a relocated meter board (typically within a couple of weeks), this could follow the Network Ready connection pathway as the fuses are already in place. The associated costs are:
- $400 + GST for decommissioning the ICP connection
- $400 + GST for new connection livening
The customer delivery team will assess this on application to ensure all the network ready criteria are met.
No, they are exclusive of GST.