Whether you want to connect a new property, change an existing connection or connect to solar, we have all the information you need.

Power and Water owns and maintains the power distribution system including the power meter at your property. We are also responsible for initial property connections to our network and connection changes like solar (photovoltaic or PV) and upgrades to three phase from single phase.

In most cases, your retailer and electrical contractor or solar installer will handle the connection process with us for you.

If you live in a major centre, you can choose your power retailer, who can submit your connection application on your behalf. Learn more about choosing a power retailer.

For remote customers, Power and Water is your nominated retailer.

We have reviewed our connections process, all changes are detailed in the changes to the customer connections process fact sheet.

To support the introduction of the Household and Business Battery Scheme, we have rolled out a new application form for our basic connections.

Power and Water requires that installers of all embedded generation systems hold current NT electricity licences, as well as current installers accreditation with the Clean Energy Council. Accredited installers must only install approved CEC electrical equipment.

Basic new connections and changes to existing connections

Find out how to connect or change a connection to our network if you are building or moving into a new home, or installing a small residential or commercial PV (solar) or battery system.

Learn more about the basic connection process

Download the basic connection application  

Find out more about the technical requirements for the basic micro embedded generation connection

Negotiated connections

Negotiated connection services are services that do not meet the definition of a basic connection service, such as a commercial, industrial or a developer new connection.

More about the negotiated connection process

Download the negotiated connection application

Find out more about the technical requirements for the negotiated embedded generation connection.

Remote rooftop PV applications

In order to get approval to install rooftop PV, your installer may help you submit the following documents:

The Remote PV Inverter Network Connection Agreement, which outlines the terms of connection for your PV system and inverter to our network.

If Power and Water is the retailer in your community, you will also need to lodge a Power Purchase Agreement form for assessment and submit an Embedded generation commissioning sheet.

The Basic Connection Form (which incorporates the Notice of Intention -NOI) is to be completed by the solar installer and the customer.

For more information on the technical requirements to connect a PV inverter system to the supply system, refer to the Technical Requirements for Grid Connection of Photovoltaic Systems via Inverters.

Check available capacity for remote solar PV


Applications may be submitted to:

Postal: PO Box 37471 Winnellie NT 0821

Email: connect.me@powerwater.com.au

Phone: 1800 245 092

Connection class requirements

A basic connection service is a:

  • connection of residential and small non-residential premises where:
    • supply is available (there is a line available at the required voltage and with sufficient capacity for the proposed connection)
    • high voltage network extension is not required
    • low voltage network extension is limited to one span of overhead or 25 metres of underground cable
    • there is no network augmentation required
    • the maximum demand of the electrical installation is less than or equal to 10 kVA single phase or 25 kVA three phase.
  • connection of micro-embedded generation (for example PV installations) with an inverter capacity of less than 30kVA, in line with AS4777 requirements and consistent with Power and Water’s processes for small inverter connected generators where no network augmentation is needed.
  • temporary low voltage connections for a period of 12 months or less
  • connection of unmetered supply (other than public lighting).

Basic connection services do not apply to:

  • real estate developers
  • embedded generators that are not micro-embedded generators.

Power and Water do not currently offer any Standard connection services.

A negotiated connection service is:

  • A connection that doesn’t meet the basic connection requirements,
  • A basic connection where the applicant chooses to negotiate the terms and conditions for the model standing offers,
  • Relocation of assets or construction, and
  • Connection to the transmission network

Solar PV class requirements

Your solar installer will help you choose a Solar PV system best suited to your energy needs and circumstances.

Our essential guide to Solar PV class requirements

Basic connections process

Building, moving or changing your meter?

This information is for customers who need a new connection or want to make changes to an existing connection service that falls under our basic connection service conditions.

The technical information we need may be unfamiliar to you. We recommend an electrician, an electrical contractor or your retailer complete the application on your behalf.

  1. Complete the application form (and any other supporting documentation) and submit it along with
    your payment, if applicable.
  2. We will assess your application and contact you if further information is required.
  3. By default, we will treat your application as a request for an expedited connection. This means you accept either our Model Standing Offer for Basic Connection or Model Standing Offer for Basic PV Connection. You will not have to go through our formal offer and acceptance process as they will automatically apply to your connection service. Both of these standing offers have been approved by the Australian Energy Regulator.
  4. A Certificate of Compliance (CoC) will need to be provided prior to final connection. For micro embedded generation connections, a completed commissioning sheet will need to be provided in addition to the CoC.

You can choose not to request an expedited connection, though this will result in a longer timeframe for provision of your connection service.

Most customers request an expedited service unless they would like to negotiate the terms and conditions set our in the Model Standing Offers. If a connection service requested by a customer is not a basic connection service, it will be treated as a negotiated connection service, and the negotiated connection process will apply.

Our Customer Service Centre will help you if you need any additional information regarding our connection services.

If you need more detailed technical information, we can put you in touch with our connections team who will contact you within five business days.

You will need to submit the basic connections application form to request a new, or modify an existing basic connection. Your application form will ask for the technical details of your connection arrangement including location, capacity and type. As the technical information we need may be unfamiliar to you, we recommend an electrician, an electrical contractor or your retailer complete the application on your behalf.

Submit your application to connect.me@powerwater.com.au and we will contact you if we need any further information.

Basic connections

Basic PV (solar) connections

For more information on PV connections, see our Solar power systems page.

For remote customers, see our Remote solar PV connections page for more information.

Commissioning sheet

Once the installation of your micro-embedded generation unit has been completed, you will need to submit a completed commissioning sheet and Certificate of Compliance to connect.me@powerwater.com.au.

Download the Commissioning sheet

Where to submit

We have recently changed our process.

Please submit all basic applications and any supporting documentation to connect.me@powerwater.com.au.

This address is for all connection application forms, whether PV, battery or otherwise, in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

Basic connections

There is no fee for a basic connection service.

You may have to pay an additional fee if you are applying for an upgrade from single-phase to three-phase.

Basic solar (PV) and battery connections

A $104.89 (GST included) administration fee should be paid with your application.

You may also have to pay a fee to upgrade to a meter compatible with solar (PV) and battery systems.
Check the Meter change list to see if you require a meter change.

See our Network Pricing Proposal for more details on Standard Control Services and Alternate Control Charges.

Negotiated connections process

Negotiated connection services are services that do not meet the definition of a basic connection service, such as a commercial, industrial or a developer new connection.

If you choose not to accept the terms and conditions of our model standing offer for either a basic connection or basic connection with generation, you will be entering into a negotiated connection contract.

As our customer, you also have the right to negotiate your connection contract.

There may be additional charges and timeframes associated with a negotiated connection service depending on the type of connection required.

The technical information we need may be unfamiliar to you. We recommend an electrician, an electrical contractor or your retailer complete the application on your behalf.

  1. Complete the negotiated connection application form and pay the required fees. If your connection arrangement is for an embedded generator greater than 200kVA in Darwin (100kVA in all other areas), or a connection on to the transmission network, please submit the Large Connection Enquiry Form.
  2. We will assess your application. We may contact you for further information and to arrange to inspect your property.
  3. We will provide a connection offer in line with our connection policy for you to accept.
  4. We will contact your electrical contractor regarding the connection works.
  5. To finalise your connection, you will need to submit a copy of your Certificate of Compliance (CoC). If your application is for an embedded generation connection you will also be required to submit a commissioning sheet.

For more information on commercial, industrial or a developer new connections, please go to our Developers site.

For more information on connecting PV systems, please refer to our Solar power systems and PV class types pages.

For more information on the charges for Negotiated connection services, please refer to our Customer Connection Service Policy.

For an overview on process stages, inputs, outputs and timing, please refer to our Large Connection Application process.

You will need to submit the negotiated connections application form to request a new, or modify an existing negotiated connection. Your application form will ask for the technical details of your connection arrangement including location, capacity and type. As the technical information we need may be unfamiliar to you, we recommend an electrician, an electrical contractor or your retailer complete the application on your behalf.

Submit your application to connect.me@powerwater.com.au and we will contact you if we need any further information.

Negotiated load connections

Negotiated embedded generation connections (less than 200kW in Darwin (100kW in all other areas)

For more information on PV connections, see our Solar power systems page.

For remote customers, see our Remote solar PV connections page for more information.

Commissioning sheet

Once the installation of your embedded generation unit has been completed, you will need to submit a  completed commissioning sheet and Certificate of Compliance to connect.me@powerwater.com.au.

Different fees and charges apply depending on the type of connection service you need. For more information, go to our 2023-24 ACS fee based price list page.

You may also have to pay a fee to upgrade to a meter compatible with solar (PV) and battery systems.
Check the Meter change list to see if you require a meter change.

For generating systems greater than 200kW in Darwin (100kW in all other areas), larger load connections or connections to the transmission network please complete the enquiry form below and email to our Network and Development planning team.

We’ll provide a response with the option for you to request further information, or progress directly to an Application to Connect.

For more information on embedded generation connections, please refer to our Embedded Generation Connection Guideline (NT NER Ch5/5A Information Pack)

In accordance with the Northern Territory National Electricity Rules 5A.D.1A, we compile a register of completed embedded generation projects:

For any connection to the transmission network (i.e. 66kV and above), please complete the enquiry form below and email to our Network and Development planning team.

We’ll provide a prefeasibility response, with details on how to submit a formal enquiry and Application to Connect.

Submit all relevant documents along with the Negotiated connections application form.

Once we have all the information we need, we will send you a Connection Offer for a Negotiated Connection Contract.

For more information on commercial, industrial or a developer new connections, go to our Developers page.

Prior to entering into negotiations with Power and Water please contact us to ensure the appropriate agreement is being used.

Contestable Services

When applying for a connection service other than a Basic connection service, Power and Water can provide all services relating to your connection from application to commissioning. However, subject to agreement with Power and Water, you may choose to engage an accredited supplier to undertake the design and/or construction work downstream of the connection to Power and Water’s existing network, where it can be constructed safely in isolation of Power and Water’s existing network. This may include extensions and all reticulation within property developments. In the absence of an alterative provider, or as requested by the applicant, Power and Water will undertake these works.

A service is considered contestable if it can be provided by another supplier on a competitive basis, however not all elements of the Power and Water’s connection services are contestable. Some examples of the non-contestable elements of Power and Water’s connection services may include but are not limited to:

  • preparation and issue of design specifications
  • review and approval of design undertaken by the connection applicant
  • audit of construction where the connection applicant undertakes the construction works
  • conduct of physical inter-connections to Power and Waters’ distribution network
  • commissioning and testing of the constructed connection assets to Power and Waters’ distribution network
  • integrating the newly created connection assets including any extensions and augmentation into Power and Waters’ asset management systems.

Please note, services provided in Power and Water’s Basic connection services are non-contestable.

For more information, refer to our Connections Policy, or contact one of our team members via email at connect.me@powerwater.com.au