Currently, street furniture and public streetlights are connected by unmetered supply points (known as type 7 metering). This means they do not measure how much electricity is used. Street furniture includes:
- public BBQs
- standalone public electric vehicle (EV) chargers
- NBN boxes
- 4G/5G equipment
- traffic lights
- CCTV
- bus shelter and public park lighting.
Street furniture is owned and managed by councils, telecommunication providers, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and EV charging businesses while some public streetlights are managed by us and provided to local councils and DTP.
What is changing from 31 May 2026?
From 31 May 2026, type 9 meters can be used for street furniture and in some circumstances, public streetlights. Type 9 metering will measure actual electricity usage. This includes:
- public BBQs
- standalone public EV chargers
- NBN boxes
- 4G/5G equipment
- traffic lights
- CCTV
- bus shelter lighting
- public park lighting
- some public streetlights.
This change is not mandatory, it’s optional. From 31 May, customers (or a third party on their behalf) can contact us to request a connection alteration or new connection.
Note: We’ll be upgrading our existing major streetlights to smart streetlights, with rollout planned to start from mid-2027.
Why is this change happening?
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) created this new metering type to create a practical and cost-effective way of measuring energy use on street furniture and public streetlight connection points.
What is the connection process?
After you have spoken with your accredited metering third party or your retailer, you can request a metering alteration or new connection.
For street furniture: you can request a connection alteration or new connection via our EnergyConnect portal. Make sure you select type 9 non-CMS meters.
For some public streetlights: you can request a connection alteration or new connection via the enquiry page on our EnergyConnect portal.
What do you need to do and by when?
If you want to change to a type 9 meter, talk to your accredited metering third party or your retailer about when and how you can make this change. Your retailer can also tell you whether this change will result in savings or additional costs.
We’ll be ready from 31 May 2026 to provide you with the type 9 metering connection you want.
Who will be affected by this rule change?
Customers who want to measure energy use from unmetered street furniture and public streetlights.
What are the billing impacts?
Once a type 9 NMI is created, you will receive separate invoices for the type 9 meter from your retailer.
Government agencies can continue to download reports (e.g. inventory details) or raise queries (e.g. billing queries) for type 9 metering arrangements via our EnergyConnect portal.
If you have any questions, contact us via our EnergyConnect portal.