Sources checked 15 October 2026
Cost to connect electricity to a new house
The cost to connect electricity is set by the distributor for your address, not by a national price and not by which comparison site you use. An existing home with a meter is a move-in. A new house that has never had supply is a new connection, and that job costs more because someone has to install the service.
This page lists every electricity distributor we cover. The fee column says Being verified until the figure is copied from that distributor's own published fee schedule, with the date on the schedule. We do not estimate a connection fee.
Compare the plan, then book the connection
The connection fee and the plan are different charges. Compare plans for the new address, then book the connection in the same step.
Set up power at my new placeWe earn a commission when you switch through us, and our switching partner offers a smaller panel than the plans we track. How we make moneyConnection fees by distributor
Your distributor is fixed by the address. Retailers such as AGL, Origin, EnergyAustralia, Red Energy and Alinta pass the distributor's charge through on the bill. Open the distributor's site for the current ancillary-services or connection fee schedule.
| Distributor | State | Area | Connection fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid | NSW | Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Hunter Valley, Newcastle | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Endeavour Energy | NSW | Western Sydney, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Illawarra, South Coast NSW | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Essential Energy | NSW | Regional and rural NSW, Mid-North Coast, Far West, New England | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Energex | QLD | South-East Queensland including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Ergon Energy | QLD | Regional Queensland including Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bundaberg, wide Bay | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| CitiPower | VIC | Inner Melbourne CBD and surrounding suburbs including Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Richmond, South Yarra | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Powercor | VIC | Western and central Victoria including Ballarat, Bendigo, Grampians, Wimmera, Mallee | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| AusNet Services | VIC | Eastern Melbourne suburbs, Dandenong Ranges, Gippsland, eastern Victoria | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Jemena | VIC | North-west Melbourne including Essendon, Broadmeadows, Sunbury, Macedon Ranges | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| United Energy | VIC | South-east Melbourne, Frankston, Dandenong, Casey, Mornington Peninsula | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| SA Power Networks | SA | All of South Australia including Adelaide, regional SA, and remote communities | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Western Power | WA | Perth metropolitan area and south-west WA including Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| TasNetworks | TAS | All of Tasmania including Hobart, Launceston, and regional communities | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Evoenergy | ACT | Australian Capital Territory including Canberra and surrounding regions | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
| Power and Water | NT | Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine, and remote NT communities | Being verifiedAs at 15 October 2026. Distributor site |
Being verified means we have not yet copied a dollar figure from that distributor's published fee schedule.
Same-day versus a standard connection
A standard move-in is lodged at least one clear business day ahead, on a business day, with access to the meter. Same-day is a separate request. Retailers that publish one say it is by phone, it is not guaranteed, and an extra fee may apply.
- Origin says to call for a same-day electricity connection, and that additional fees may apply.
- EnergyAustralia says a standard connection normally takes up to three business days, and to call if you need it sooner.
- Red Energy says to call before 12pm, Monday to Saturday, if you cannot give one business day's notice. Fees may apply.
As at 15 October 2026, from each retailer's own moving page.
New builds versus existing homes
Origin describes the split cleanly. Moving, or a reconnection, is a property where the meter and the wiring are already there and need to be turned on. A new connection is a property that has never had electricity. It needs a meter or a first connection to the network, which is the job a builder organises, and it is priced from the distributor's new-connection schedule rather than the move-in fee.
An existing rental or a house you have bought, with a meter on the wall, is the move-in path. A house still being built is the new-connection path. Do not use the move-in form for a block that has no meter yet.
Source: Origin, new meters and installations. As at 15 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Who charges the fee to connect electricity to a new house?
The distributor that owns the poles and wires for that address sets the connection charge. The energy retailer passes it through on the bill. You cannot pick a cheaper distributor. You can pick the retailer.
Is a move-in cheaper than connecting a new build?
Usually, yes, because an existing home already has a meter and a service line. A new build needs a first connection, and often a new meter, which is a larger job. The dollar amounts differ by network and are marked as being verified on this page until they are copied from each distributor's fee schedule.
Can electricity be connected the same day I move in?
Some retailers publish a same-day path, usually by phone and sometimes with an extra fee. It is not guaranteed. A standard request needs at least one clear business day on the pages we have checked. A new build will not be same-day.
Does the connection fee include the electricity plan?
No. The connection fee is for the physical job of turning supply on, or installing it. The plan is what you pay afterwards for usage and the daily supply charge. Compare the plan before you book the connection.