Permanent disconnections
You may choose to permanently disconnect your property from the electricity network in some situations.
When might I need a permanent disconnection?
You may want to disconnect if you’re:
- Demolishing a building with no plans to rebuild
- Choosing to permanently go off‑grid
Once disconnected, your property can’t receive or export electricity through the network. If you want electricity again in the future, you’ll need to apply for a new connection.
Safety comes first
Before disconnecting, it’s important to check whether your property has more than one electricity connection. Look out for things like:
- Street lights connected to your property
- Lights attached to exterior walls
- Overhead power lines nearby
- Any Ausgrid equipment on or near your site
If you find anything you’re unsure about, let us know. This helps make sure your property is fully and safely disconnected.
When you don’t need a permanent disconnection
In many cases, a full disconnection isn’t required.
Temporarily turning power off
If you only want to stop electricity for a short time (for example, during renovations), contact your electricity retailer. They can arrange to turn power off and back on at the meter when needed.
Removing unused Ausgrid equipment
If there’s Ausgrid equipment on your site that’s no longer needed (for example, unused infrastructure after development changes), you may need to decommission the equipment, not disconnect your property.
Demolishing and rebuilding
In most cases:
- You’ll disconnect the existing supply
- Then apply for a new connection once you’re ready to rebuild
In some simple rebuilds (like replacing one home with another and keeping the meter on site the whole time), you may only need to modify an existing connection instead.
How to request a permanent disconnection
Get permission
We need written approval from:
- The property owner (or their agent)
- The occupier (if different)
- Your electricity retailer
If your site has more than one meter, approval is needed for each one.
Submit your application
Apply online via Existing connections and select Permanent disconnection.
The form includes technical details, so many customers ask an electrician to complete it for them. This can help avoid delays.
Receive your job number
Once your application is complete, we’ll issue a job number so the work can begin.
Complete the disconnection
A qualified electrical professional carries out the work. As part of this:
- A final meter reading is taken
- Your electricity retailer removes the meter
When Ausgrid may disconnect a property
In some situations, we may disconnect a property without a customer request. This can happen if:
- The connection is unsafe
- It doesn’t meet legal or safety requirements
- There hasn’t been an electricity retail contract for more than six months
- We’re asked to disconnect by your electricity retailer
We’ll always send a warning notice first, giving you time to fix the issue before disconnection occurs.
When we won’t disconnect you
We won’t disconnect a small‑use customer if:
- Life support equipment is registered at the property
- There’s an unresolved complaint with Ausgrid or the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW
- The request falls within a protected time (for example, nights, weekends, public holidays, or late December)