Electricity Act 1996

A person must not personally carry out the work of connecting electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network to an electrical installation, or installing or replacing a meter, unless—

the person is carrying out the work as an employee or contractor directly or indirectly on behalf of a prescribed person; or

the electricity entity that operates the network has specifically authorised the person to carry out the work.

A prescribed person must not cause or permit or authorise a person to personally carry out the work of connecting electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network to an electrical installation, or installing or replacing a meter, unless the person personally carrying out the work has the appropriate knowledge and skills required for that purpose.

If, when electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network is connected to an electrical installation, other than an installation to which electricity supply from the network has previously been connected—

the installation does not comply with technical and safety requirements under the regulations; or

there is a failure to comply with technical and safety requirements under the regulations relating to the making of the connection, the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection and, if the person is carrying out the work as an employee or contractor directly or indirectly on behalf of the electricity entity that operates the network, the electricity entity are each guilty of an offence.

in the case of the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection—$5 000;

in the case of the electricity entity—$50 000.

Subject to the regulations, neither the electricity entity that operates the network nor the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection commits an offence under subsection (1b)(a) in relation to an electrical installation if the entity has, before the making of the connection, been provided with a certificate of compliance issued under this Part in relation to the installation.

If, when electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network is connected to an electrical installation following the prior disconnection from the network of electricity supply to the installation for safety reasons—

any work that has been carried out on the installation since the disconnection has not complied with the regulations; or

in a case where the disconnection was by, or at the direction of, an authorised officer or the Technical Regulator—the making of the connection has not been approved by an authorised officer or the

in a case where the disconnection was by an electricity officer—there has not been rectification of the fault giving rise to the disconnection; or

there is a failure to comply with technical and safety requirements under the regulations relating to the making of the connection, the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection and, if the person is carrying out the work as an employee or contractor directly or indirectly on behalf of a prescribed person, the prescribed person are each guilty of an offence.

in the case of the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection—$10 000;

in the case of the prescribed person—$50 000.

Subject to the regulations, neither a prescribed person nor the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection commits an offence under subsection (1d)(a) in relation to work carried out on an electrical installation if the prescribed person has, before the making of the connection, been provided with a certificate of compliance issued under this Part in relation to the work on the installation.

Neither a prescribed person nor the person personally carrying out the work of making the connection commits an offence under subsection (1d)(b) unless notice has been given, orally or by fax or email, to the prescribed person, or an employee or agent of the prescribed person, that electricity supply to the installation has been disconnected by, or at the direction of, an authorised officer or the Technical

If, in carrying out the work of installing or replacing a meter, there is a failure to comply with—

regulations relating to the carrying out of such work or examinations and tests relating to such work; or

technical and safety requirements under the regulations relating to the connection of electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network to an electrical installation, the person personally carrying out the work and, if the person is carrying out the work as an employee or contractor directly or indirectly on behalf of a prescribed person, the prescribed person are each guilty of an offence.

in the case of the person personally carrying out the work—$5 000;

in the case of the prescribed person—$50 000.

An electricity officer for an electricity entity may disconnect the electricity supply to an electrical installation that—

is connected to the entity's transmission or distribution network in contravention of this section; or

otherwise does not comply with this Act.

For the purposes of this section, electricity supply to an electrical installation is disconnected for safety reasons if the electricity supply is disconnected—

by, or at the direction of, an authorised officer or the Technical

by an electricity officer because of a contravention of this Act relating to the electrical installation or its connection, or because the electrical installation is, in the officer's opinion unsafe; or

to allow work on the electrical installation to be carried out safely.

For the purposes of this section—

the electricity entity that operates the transmission or distribution network concerned is a prescribed person;

a metering provider is a prescribed person in relation to the work of installing or replacing a meter; and

the work of installing or replacing a meter includes—

the temporary disconnection of the electricity supply while the work is carried out; and

connecting or reconnecting electricity supply from a transmission or distribution network to the electrical installation to which the meter is wired following the installation or replacement of the meter.

In this section—