Remote de-energisation and re-energisation

Delays in reconnection, limited customer choice and administrative burden on customers.

From 1 October 2020, the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014 has allowed metering providers and electricity retailers in NSW to use smart meters to remotely disconnect and reconnect power supply for residential and small business customers. This can be done when customers move in and out of a property, or when electricity supply is disconnected due to non-payment. This is described as remote de-energisation or re-energisation.

The use of the de-energisation or re-energisation functionality of smart meters was initially limited due to disconnection restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with and some retailers further delayed recommencing disconnections. However, since 2022, EWON has observed a steady increase in the use of remote de-energisation and re-energisation.

For a metering provider or an electricity retailer to undertake remote de-energisation and re-energisation, it must have a Safety Management Plan and Customer Procedures Plan approved by NSW Fair Trading. There are guidelines to assist in developing plans, and Fair Trading also provides a list of retailers and metering providers with approved plans.

The plans must consider:

• safety and risk assessments

• procedures to ensure a remote de-energisation or re-energisation can be safely carried out

• scripts and processes in place when communicating with a customer

• additional information about complaint procedures and dispute resolution.

There are also additional regulations around timeframes for re-energisation and possible compensation that can be awarded to a customer if the timeframes are not met.

Unintended consequences

EWON has observed a growing number of complaints highlighting issues and unintended consequences related to remote disconnection and reconnection of electricity supply. While the functionality offers operational efficiencies for energy providers, these consequences can create barriers to timely reconnection, limit customer choice, and place an administrative burden on customers—particularly those in vulnerable circumstances.

From the complaints that we receive, EWON has identified the following key issues:

• Delays in reconnection due to poor identification: some retailers fail to identify that a property has been remotely disconnected, leading to significant delays with account transfers or when new occupants attempt to establish electricity supply. This issue is often compounded by system limitations that do not flag the remote status of a meter.

• Limited retailer participation: not all electricity retailers have opted to implement the required Safety Management Plan. As a result, customers moving into remotely de-energised properties can only connect through retailers with an approved plan, restricting their choice and delaying access to electricity.

• Higher costs from restricted retailer options: customers may be unable to sign up with their preferred or most affordable electricity retailer. In these cases, they are often left with no option but to connect through the existing Financially Responsible Market Participant (FRMP), potentially incurring higher charges until they can transfer.

• Breakdowns in industry communication: the lack of effective business-to-business processes has resulted in missed or delayed transfers, especially when one or both retailers involved are unaware that a property is remotely de-energised. This undermines the efficiency the remote disconnection process aims to provide.

• Customer burden and confusion: the responsibility often falls on customers to navigate which retailers can reconnect them, initiate supply, and then switch to a preferred provider. This multi-step process can be confusing and burdensome—particularly for vulnerable customers.

• Additional requirements for long-term disconnection: where a property has been disconnected for more than six months, customers are required to provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety before reconnection. This introduces added time, cost, and complexity.

• Limitations of remote technology: even when a retailer has a Safety Management Plan in place, there are instances where a property cannot be remotely reconnected due to technical issues or safety concerns. In these cases, site visits may be required, resulting in delays and extra fees.

Disconnection as a last resort

Disconnection for non-payment should always be a last resort. However, when remote de-energisation is used, it can reduce opportunities to intervene and prevent the associated harm. As smart meter uptake increases towards 2030 and more retailers adopt Safety Management Plans, the potential for disconnection will affect more customers.

In circumstances where electricity distributors remain responsible for carrying out disconnections, a technician is required to attend the premises and leave a physical notice. This human interaction often serves as a prompt for customers experiencing financial hardship to seek help—either by contacting their energy retailer or engaging with an energy ombudsman—prior to being disconnected.

The Energy Charter’s Knock to Stay Connected initiative has demonstrated the significant value of incorporating an additional customer engagement point that emphasises support and assistance. This approach aligns with the purpose of existing disconnection notice requirements—to encourage at-risk consumers to engage with their retailer and access available support to avoid disconnection. The initiative highlights the importance of shifting the focus of pre-disconnection contact, from debt recovery to customer assistance.
 

Case study

 Customer without power for a week while trying to get a remote reconnection

A customer signed up to Retailer A online on 11 November 2024, before moving into her new property. When she moved in, there was no electricity supply. She contacted Retailer A multiple times over several days to request the supply be connected, however was not able to resolve the issue. After four days, Retailer A said it was not able to reconnect the supply as it had been disconnected remotely, and they did not have an approved Safety Management Plan.

The customer contacted the retailer that had originally remotely disconnected the supply, Retailer B, on 15 November 2024. She paid for same day reconnection and was told that the power would be reconnected that day, but this did not occur. The customer called Retailer B again on 16 November 2024 and was still not reconnected.

The customer contacted EWON on 18 November 2024 as she was living at the property without power, and did not have an answer about why the supply had not been restored.

EWON contacted Retailer B to request more information. It said when the customer had first contacted it on 15 November 2024, the agent had raised the incorrect service order for reconnection. It confirmed that power had been restored on 18 November 2024.

EWON raised with Retailer B that this had caused an unreasonable delay for reconnection, which normally occurs in a few hours, and the customer had advised that this experience was very stressful. Retailer B offered a customer service gesture of $300 to address the poor customer experience. The customer was satisfied with this and confirmed that the power had now been restored.

The customer also raised concerns about Retailer A, because it accepted her transfer request but was not able to reconnect her meter, contributing to the delay. EWON explained the processes involved, including the requirement for retailers to have an approved Safety Management Plan. We referred her complaint to a specialist team at Retailer A for further review and to contact her directly.  

Case study

 Delays in having power restored due to additional safety requirements

A customer owned a property which had been rented to tenants. The tenants moved out of the property in May 2024 and had the power disconnected.

In January 2025, the customer contacted her preferred retailer to establish an account and reconnect the supply. When it was not restored, she contacted the retailer again and it said that it sent someone to the property but they were unable to reconnect the supply. She was told to engage an electrician and provide an electrical installation safety certificate. The customer arranged for an electrician to attend the property but they said they needed power to check the installation. 

The customer contacted EWON to request assistance. We contacted the retailer and it was unsure whether the power had been disconnected at the property as the site was showing as active. However, after further investigation it had spoken to the Metering Provider and it advised that the site had been remotely disconnected on 12 June 2024 and as more than 6 months had passed, the rules required an Electrical Installation Safety Inspection Certificate to be provided before the power could be remotely reconnected.

The customer was able to find an appropriate Accredited Service Provider to provide a copy to the retailer so that the power could be remotely reconnected.