Australia

Getting Electricity in

Australia

Listed below are the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building.

The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.

  • Name of Utility: Ausgrid
  • City: Sydney

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 Submit application for connection with Ausgrid, receive Job Number and estimate and make payment

The application can be obtained and submitted by fax, email or personally in the local offices. The forms to be submitted is ES1 (Application for connection) and CT request. This must be completed and submitted by the license electrician hired by customer. The following essential info must be included:Address of installation; Name of customers, contact details; electrical contractor and Accredited Service Provider’s (ASP) details and for the return of the Job Number (electrical contractor has to be licensed by the Dept of Fair Trade, NSW). Electrical contractors and ASPs should not proceed with the electrical installation works unless they have received a Job Number. Along with the Job Number, the utility will notify customer that a Site Establishment fee applies (in our case, a site establishment fee will apply, because it is a new installation and will require a National Metering Identifier (NMI)). Upon receipt of application, the utility provides electricity supply within 50 m boundary of the property.

Agency: Ausgrid 		15 calendar days no charge
2 Customer's electrician submits certificate of compliance of electrical work to Ausgrid

Electrician can only do internal wiring after receiving Job Number from utility. The Compliance Certificate is a uniquely numbered form to be completed by an electrician every time he adds, alters, disconnects, reconnects or replaces an electrical installation. The Compliance Certificate is the consumer’s assurance that the electrician is compliant with the Australia/New Zealand wiring rules for electrical installation work.

Agency: Ausgrid 		44 calendar days no charge
3 Hire an Accredited service provider who conducts external connection works

Customer has the choice of either hiring Enerserve, a branch of Ausgrid, or hiring a accredited private contractor (ASP). The ASP does all the external connection works, including material and labor.The ASP would carry out the work & hand in the Notification of Service Work (NOSW). When the NOSW is submitted the charge for site establishment is issued.

Agency: Accredited Service Provider 		11 calendar days AUD 5,152.9
4 Request and receive internal wiring inspection from Ausgrid

Request for inpsection by Energy Authority Installation Inspector for both the internal (MSB) and external wiring (service) would be done at the same time the meter is installed by nominated retailer.

Agency: Ausgrid 		7 calendar days no charge
5 Nominated retailer installs meter and electricity starts flowing

The customer request the nominated retailer to install the meter. Meter is installed at the same time the internal/external installation inspection is carried out. At the completion of the installation inspection the service is energised and electricity starts flowing.

Agency: Nominated retailer 		4 calendar days AUD 363.0
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