Electrical upgrades to support electrification

Preparing your home for all-electric appliances

If you have decided to go all electric and remove gas appliances, you may be wondering if you need to make any electrical upgrades to your home to support the change. The answer depends on a combination of factors, such as your home’s current electrical infrastructure, what types of appliances you plan to install, how much energy they will use, and your behaviours and energy needs. This guide takes you through some key electrical components within a home that may need to be considered when upgrading appliances. The guide will help you determine the best course of action and provide advice on how to work with your electrician to prepare to go electric.

Switchboard upgrades

Switchboards are the control panel for your home’s electrical system. The switchboard is connected to the electricity grid and distributes electricity safely and efficiently throughout your home to various circuits and appliances.

Some homes may need to upgrade their switchboard to transition to all electric appliances, particularly older homes. Older switchboards may not have enough capacity, spare slots for new circuits, new circuit breakers, or compliant safety features to accommodate the increased energy demand of modern electric appliances.

A licensed electrician will be able to advise if you need a switchboard upgrade or replacement to go all-electric. When upgrading, electricians are required to bring the installation up to the current AS/NZS 3000 wiring standard. It is recommended that any upgrade includes spare capacity (extra slots) to allow for future changes in your home. Be sure your electrician submits a Certificate of Electrical Safety to Access Canberra and provides you with a copy for your records – this helps with safety compliance and insurance.

Understand your energy use

Your current and expected energy demand determines if your current electricity connection is adequate. When talking to your licensed electrician, it is important to understand your current energy use. If you have a smart meter, your energy retailer can help you to access your meter data, this can be used to identify your current energy usage. If you do not have a smart meter, your energy bills also provide information on your energy usage. For more information on smart meters please see smart meter upgrades.

Connection upgrades

The connecting wire between the electricity network and your home may need to be upgraded if your electricity demand increases.

Whilst it is becoming more common for new homes to be built with a three-phase connection, many older homes have a single-phase 80- amp connection.

For information on the process and cost for upgrading, or connecting to the ACT electricity distribution network visit Evoenergy’s Connections page.

Three-phase connection upgrades

Some people may hear about three-phase power when transitioning off gas appliances. A three-phase connection is where electricity is brought to the home via three active wires and one neutral wire. Three-phase power is required to accommodate properties with large energy demands, such as in industrial settings, to operate high power equipment or for large properties.

Most Canberra homes and many small businesses use a single-phase connection. This means that that electricity is brought to the home via one active wire and one neutral wire.

In most cases, residential properties will not need to upgrade to three-phase power to go all electric. This is because most modern efficient electric household appliances like hot water heat pumps, induction stovetops, and reverse cycle air-conditioners are designed to work on single-phase power. When making your appliance choices, you should consider your current electricity supply capacity and choose accordingly.

When to consider upgrading to three-phase power

Three-phase connections are not necessary for most gas to electric conversions, but they do provide greater flexibility for electricity load management and provide capacity for future higher energy needs. Three-phase connections also have some advantages for the electricity network as they can help to balance high electrical loads. For this reason, they are often recommended by trades people.

It may be worth considering upgrading to three-phase power to future proof for higher energy needs if you’re building or renovating. This is because costs may be cheaper when bundling upgrades as part of your building contract.

It is worth upgrading your connection when your energy needs exceed what a single- phase connection can handle. Your licensed electrician should provide a load and diversity calculation to help you understand if this is the case. Some of these situations may include:

• to accommodate high demand appliances like industrial grade kitchen appliances or very large heating and cooling systems
• for electric vehicle (EV) charging where it is required to frequently charge multiple cars simultaneously or to install fast EV chargers (typically above 7 kW)
• if you have a large solar system (more than 10 kW) to export large amounts of electricity to the grid
• if you intend to run industrial machinery
• for very large properties with high energy needs.

Note: Evoenergy does have some limitations on the number of high-powered appliances than can be installed on a single-phase connection. Your licensed electrician will be able to provide advice in this regard.

Working with your licensed electrician

Upgrading to a three-phase connection can be very expensive and add significantly to the cost of home electrification.

If you have been told you may need to upgrade to a three-phase connection to switch over to all-electric appliances, you should ask your licensed electrician if there are any solutions available to meet your energy needs on a single-phase connection before making a decision to upgrade. These should include consideration of energy diversity, demand management systems, consumer energy resources, different appliance choices, or advice on how to use appliances so maximum demand capacity is not exceeded.

By asking these questions you may be able to avoid costly upgrades and potentially save thousands of dollars. Some of these solutions could be:

• Choose energy efficient electric appliances - energy efficient appliances that do not require as much energy to operate can help reduce your energy demand and free up capacity for other electric appliances.
• Distribute your energy use throughout the day – this could include using energy demand systems or setting timers to power appliances like hot water heating systems, dishwashers, washing machines, and EV charging when you are not at home or at low peak times (e.g. 12am-6am). This frees up capacity to use other energy intensive appliances, like heating and cooking appliances when you are at home.
• Install solar and battery storage – solar and battery storage systems can help reduce the amount of electricity you need to draw from the grid and may potentially mitigate the need to upgrade to three-phase power. Like three-phase power, solar and battery storage carry additional costs, but they can also help you achieve significant savings on your energy costs in the long term. Our solar calculator can help you decide if solar is right for your home.

Your licensed electrician can help determine what solutions may be appropriate for your particular circumstances and whether your current connection can handle additional demand.

Smart meter upgrades

An electrical meter is a device that measures the amount of electricity consumed by a property. Smart meters replace traditional meters and measure how much electricity you use and how stable the supply is. They are a specific type of meter that digitally records how much electricity your home is using in real time. They can send and receive data remotely, and typically record your usage every 30 minutes and send it to your electricity retailer. Traditional meters only show the total amount used over a period of time (eg. 3 months).

Smart meters are required for all new property connections, or if an existing meter is faulty and needs to be replaced. You can also get a smart meter by asking your current retailer for one. Since 2017, electricity retailers have been responsible for installing and maintaining electricity meters. Meters are commonly located alongside the switchboard.

You do not need a smart meter to go all-electric, unless you plan to install solar and battery storage systems. However, smart meters can be highly beneficial and come with many benefits for all-electric households. Some of these include:

• Smart meters ensure you are billed for the exact amount of electricity you use. This avoids the need for estimated bills or for physical meter reads.
• Smart meters can help you understand your energy use. Many electricity retailers have apps that let you see your daily electricity use anytime, without waiting for your bill.
• Smart meters make it easier to have new technology products, like home batteries or an electric vehicle.
• Smart meters allow consumers to choose from a broader range of electricity retail offers, that can be beneficial to customers who can control when they use energy.
• If you have solar panels, a smart meter will allow you to sell solar energy to the grid.

If your power goes out, smart meters help your energy provider by sending real-time data. This means they can locate the issue faster and get your power back on sooner.

The Australian Government has committed to accelerate the roll out of smart meters between December 2025 and November 2030. The implementation of the accelerated smart meter program does not prevent consumers from installing a smart meter at present. Consumers are able to contact their retailer if they would like a smart meter installation prior to 1 December 2025.

For more information on smart meters visit Understanding smart meters in the ACT.

Working with licensed trades

When switching out gas appliances for electric options, you may need to work with multiple trades.

Make sure your trades person has a valid licence and relevant insurances before accepting a quote. You can do this by checking the ACT Government’s public register for all business licenses. It is also a good idea to seek multiple quotes and check advice with other businesses before settling on a quote and an energy solution for your home.

When working with licensed electricians to install appliances, solar panels, or battery storage systems, make sure that you are sent a Certificate of Electrical Safety following the completion of work. Electricians are required by law to verify that work completed on your property is compliant with the relevant Standard. Certificates of Electrical Safety must also be submitted to Access Canberra by electricians for monitoring and compliance purposes. The certificate may be important for your insurances to demonstrate that work was completed by a licensed electrician.

For more information about how to work with trades, visit choosing a trades person.

More information

If you’re considering purchasing electric appliances and technologies like electric stove tops, hot water heat pumps, or reverse cycle air-conditioners, there are a range of buyers guides available on the Everyday Climate Choices website, including key considerations for purchase and installation.

Buyers guides:

• Electric heating and cooling systems
• Hot water heat pumps (HWHP)
• Electric stove tops
• Electric cars
• Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
• Household battery storage systems [PDF 2.1 MB]
• Solar

Contact our free advice service

The ACT Government’s Sustainable Home Advice service is your one stop shop to get information on how to reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable. Ask for a free home energy visit or register for a workshop. You can also learn about what ACT Government supports and rebates you may be eligible for.

There is also a free online tool and kit to help you better understand your energy use and how you can reduce it. The Home Energy Action Kit can be borrowed from ACT public libraries.

Email: SustainableHomeAdviceProgram@act.gov.au
Phone: 1300 141 777 (weekdays 9 am to 4 pm excluding public holidays)