Commercial13 October 2026

Adding an Electricity Meter for a New Commercial Tenancy: A Fit-Out Checklist

A new shop or office needs more than space for another meter. Confirm how the tenancy will be supplied and billed before treating metering as a final fit-out task.

Commercial electrical room with rows of blue control cabinets

Illustrative stock photograph; not a Smart Meter Australia installation.

Australian Owned & Operated

NSW Level 2 ASP

Licensed Electricians

Fully Insured

AS/NZS 3000 Compliant Work

Ausgrid Service Area

Endeavour Energy Service Area

Essential Energy Service Area

Residential, Commercial and Strata

Work completed in accordance with applicable NSW network, metering and electrical requirements.

Choose the billing arrangement with the owner

Start with the landlord or building manager: is the tenancy intended to have a direct retailer account at its own connection point, or does the building use an embedded-network or private sub-meter arrangement? Adding a device to a board does not automatically create an independent retail account or National Metering Identifier (NMI).

Record the tenancy address, unit identifier, lease access arrangements and the party authorised to request alterations. Embedded-network billing and retail-choice questions need the responsible operator or appropriate adviser, not an assumption that a sub-meter provides the same outcome as a separate market connection. Agree the intended outcome before specifying hardware.

Prepare the fit-out load information

Give the electrical contractor a schedule of proposed equipment: air conditioning, kitchen appliances, signage, office equipment and any specialist loads. Include manufacturer requirements and likely simultaneous operation. A small floor area can still have substantial electrical demand, especially in a food tenancy.

The assessment must consider the shared building supply, main board and tenancy distribution, not only the new meter position. Spare physical space is not proof of spare electrical capacity. Where the proposal changes the connection or approved capacity, network requirements and any additional service works need to be established.

A practical tenancy brief

Owner approval, site contacts and exact tenancy identification.
Intended retail or embedded-network billing arrangement.
Equipment schedule, fit-out plans and proposed opening date.
Existing supply/board information and access arrangements.
Neighbouring occupants and business-critical equipment affected by work.

Coordinate the account, board and meter request

Our commercial tenancy metering and fit-out service reviews the board works and metering handoffs alongside the fit-out electrician. Market metering must follow the appointed provider’s process; a private sub-meter scope should be clearly distinguished.

Establish who makes the relevant network application, who opens or changes the retail account and who confirms readiness to the metering provider. Keep the references together. A retailer account request is not proof that the shared board can accept the installation, and completion of board works does not mean the tenancy is ready to be billed.

Make energisation a documented milestone

Discuss access and any interruption with the building manager and neighbouring tenants. Confirm what must be complete before the appointment, including site access and electrical documentation. An opening date is a planning input, not a guaranteed energisation date, particularly when approvals or shared-supply works remain unresolved.

At handover, retain the applicable compliance records, meter/tenancy identification and account status. Ask the responsible providers to confirm that the meter is associated with the intended tenancy; labelling and records matter when adjacent units have similar addresses. Review the first bill through the retailer or building operator rather than assuming the physical installation finalises billing.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Does a new sub-meter create a separate retailer account?

Not by itself. A private sub-meter and a market-metered connection have different billing arrangements. Confirm the building’s model and the intended outcome with the owner and relevant providers.

Is a spare slot on the board enough?

No. Capacity, condition, protection, access and the accepted metering arrangement must also be assessed.

Who should start the process for a leased shop?

Coordinate the tenant, owner/building manager and electrical contractor first. Identify the authorised applicant and intended billing arrangement before lodging account or meter requests.

RELATED SERVICES

Commercial Metering

Complex metering arrangements for retail, offices and multi-tenancy commercial sites.

Learn More

Plan tenancy metering into the fit-out

Bring the load schedule and owner’s supply arrangement so board works and retailer/provider steps can be scoped early.

Explore commercial metering

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