When switching energy providers or moving home, one of the most common questions is whether there are hidden fees involved. 

Many customers understandably worry about: 

• Switching fees 

• Exit fees 

• Connection or disconnection charges 

In most cases, these types of fees are not set by your electricity retailer. 

Instead, they are set by your local electricity distributor – the company that owns and operates the poles and wires that deliver electricity to your home. 

What are reconnection and disconnection fees? 

Reconnection and disconnection fees relate to services that may be required when electricity supply is being connected, disconnected, or restored at a property. 

Reconnection fees 

Reconnection fees apply when the property you’re moving into has been disconnected. In these cases, your distributor will need to reconnect the electricity supply before you move in. 

A reconnection fee may also apply if your electricity has been disconnected due to failure to meet payment due dates. 

Disconnection fees 

Disconnection fees apply when you need to disconnect the electricity at your old property. This ensures you don’t continue to be charged for electricity usage at a property you’ve moved out of. 

When do these fees apply? 

Network-related connection or disconnection fees may apply in situations such as: 

• Moving into a new property 

• Disconnecting electricity at a vacant property 

• Reconnecting supply after a period of vacancy 

• Meter or service changes required by the distributor 

In contrast, when switching between electricity retailers, most customers do not require a disconnection of supply. 

In these cases, electricity continues to flow uninterrupted while the billing arrangement changes in the background. 

Who actually charges these fees? 

Connection and disconnection fees are set by your local electricity distributor.  

Distributors are responsible for: 

• Maintaining the electricity infrastructure 

• Delivering power to your property 

• Managing physical connection and service changes 

Electricity retailers, such as Flow Power, do not control or profit from these fees. These charges apply regardless of which retailer you are with.

How much are these fees? 

The cost of connection and disconnection services varies depending on: 

• Your location 

• Your local electricity distributor 

• The type of service required 

• Timing (e.g. business hours vs after hours in some regions) 

Because these fees are set by the distributor, they are not controlled by electricity retailers and may differ between states and regions. 

You can view detailed distributor fee schedules for your area here 

Do you pay fees when switching energy retailers? 

In most cases, switching between energy retailers does not involve connection or disconnection fees. 

This is because: 

• Your meter generally remains in place 

• Your electricity supply continues without interruption 

• No disconnection of your service is required 

Instead, the change is administrative, with your new retailer managing billing and pricing from the agreed switch date. 

However, depending on your individual circumstances or distributor requirements, some network-related charges may still apply. 

What are retailer fees vs network fees? 

There is often confusion between two types of charges: 

Retailer fees 

These are charges set by your electricity provider and may include: 

• Account or payment processing fees (where applicable) 

• Plan-specific charges outlined in your contract or fact sheet 

Network fees 

These are set by your local electricity distributor and relate to: 

• Connection or disconnection services 

• Meter changes or site-specific work 

• Other infrastructure-related services 

Retailers pass these through, but do not set or control them.

How to avoid surprises when switching 

To better understand any potential charges before switching, it can help to: 

• Review your retailer’s fees and charges information 

• Download and read your Energy Price Fact Sheet for your plan 

• Check pricing and plan details specific to your state or distributor 

You can view Flow Power pricing information here 

Key takeaways 

• Connection and disconnection fees are set by your distributor, not retailer 

• These fees apply across all retailers within a distribution area 

• In most cases, customers simply switching electricity retailers do not incur connection or disconnection fees 

• Your electricity supply typically continues uninterrupted when changing retailers 

• Where applicable, all charges are disclosed and passed through transparently