Complex connections
Steps to get you connected
1. Enquire & Discuss
Before applying for a new complex connection, take time to understand your options, the process, timelines and application costs with helpful information (links here).
Where your application is complex (i.e., it is a large load and/or you have flexibility in your connection size or location), you may want a free, confidential pre-application meeting with our large scale generation team – you can ask for one during the application process.
Contact us
2. Apply & Explore
Complete your application online or engage your service provider, who will apply for your connection on your behalf.
This step covers:
- Initial application for major projects,
- A high-level application review within 30 working days (we may request more information),
- Feasibility studies (we will agree costs with you),
- Concept design by us or an approved designer (who tells you your capital costs).
Our Customer Care team will manage our internal processes, guide you along the way and contact you as needed.
Some projects may need other steps, e.g., consent status, easement or Transpower conditions advised.
Capacity will be reserved under our terms, where applicable to your connection type and size.
3. Design & Approve
We work with your design service provider to design the solution for your needs.
This step covers:
- A service agreement/network approval, and customer terms acceptance to proceed for standard projects
- An initial agreement/approval to proceed for complex projects, subject to more work
- Detailed studies/ design (with costs), interim/ final application, network application approval and network quote/ customer acceptance for complex projects
- Connection and works agreement
- Payment, and
- Final capacity prioritised.
An interim application for approval is within 90 working days.
4. Deliver & Build
The service provider (our team/ a selected contractor/ your approved contractor) will, where applicable, build, test and liven any agreed new network assets. In parallel, your approved contractor will complete the service connection works, which you will contract with them and pay for.
5. Connect & Complete
When the connection is ready, your approved contractor can progress connection work, including an authorised inspector and metering (with your retailer).
Complex connections may require specific commissioning steps and/or testing. Documentation may be required to finalise, e.g., as-built designs, easements, engineers’ sign-off, and certificate of compliance.
Our team or your service provider will inform you about these.
Common questions
You’ll need to contact an energy retailer to set up an account if you’re not already a customer. You can find a list of retailers at Powerswitch. If you’re already an existing or recent customer of an energy retailer, you’ll need to contact them to advise the new address you’d like to be connected to.
Please apply for a new electricity connection here. You can ask your electrician to assist you with completing the form, or have them complete the form on your behalf.
You’ll need to pay the application fee online when you submit the form.
Before you get started, you’ll need:
- Bill payer contact details – if there is a cost associated with this work, then the quote and invoice will be issued to this person
- Electrician contact details
- Your chosen electricity retailer and your account number with that retailer
- Electricity retail account holder contact details
- There is a charge for your new connection application – you will need your credit card or account 2 account details handy.
If power to the boundary is required, your preferred Northpower Approved Contractor needs to undertake the work.
Our application fees for new load connections are:
- Standard application: $100
- Complex applications: $500-$1000
Our application fees for distributed generation are:
- Up to 10KW and residential: $100
- 11kW – 100kW: $500
- 101kW – 1MW max.: $1000
The costs involved for delivering your connection/network capacity used are assessed by us or your chosen Northpower-approved contractor and consider factors like the complexity of the design, the equipment required, and the work involved. Once costs are assessed, you will get a quote. You can get quotes from more than one Northpower-approved contractor, so you can compare prices.
How we calculate your charges for network capital costs is outlined here (Capital Contributions Introduction hyperlink + link to policy).
For larger customers, we determine initial chargeable quantities based on the capacity requested for a new connection, and these apply from the date the new connection is livened. Sometimes initial usage is low, but we don’t provide reduced charges for the low utilisation to minimise the extent to which these costs fall to other customers.
Construction of your service main (private cable/line) can be done by your electrician. When your connection is ready to proceed, let us know. You’ll choose your network-approved contractor to inspect, install the meter, connect and liven to the network – see the table of Northpower-approved contractors
Your electrician will certify your service main and also organise for the connection to be inspected and livened to the network. This can only be done by a Northpower-approved contractor. Your electrician and the Northpower-approved contractor will schedule an inspection of the work, connect and liven. At this point, your energy retailer will begin billing you for your electricity.
New connections and loads use up network capacity and contribute to the need for upgrades to the electricity distribution network (e.g. upgrading the transformers, power lines, etc., supplying customers). This can incur a high cost.
In order to cover this cost, we have to charge for all capacity used. This capacity fee contributes towards any network upgrade work that may be required as a result of the specific capacity increase or other capacity increases in the future. In this way, no single customer ends up being charged for the entire cost of a network upgrade, but rather, the cost is spread across all customers who will benefit.
No. You may need to pay towards the cost of a network upgrade or to have Northpower equipment installed on your property to enable your connection. This is so that the additional costs of your connection are not paid for by other customers. However, the equipment will still belong to us, and we will be responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment we own. Other equipment on your property that you own, e.g., your service line connecting to your building/s or equipment, you are responsible for maintaining.
For further advice, please contact our customer care team with any questions you have regarding the connections process – we’re here to help. Please call us on 0800 10 40 40.
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