This note is not part of the amendment but is intended to indicate its general effect.

This amendment to the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (Code) comes into force on 1 April 2026.

The amendment inserts a new Part 6B into the Code to implement requirements on distributors to comply with mandatory connection pricing methodologies, information requirements and other requirements for load connections. The requirements consist of:

• Enhancement cost allocation requirements. This requires connection charges to be determined with reference to a “relevant minimum scheme”, with enhancement costs (if any) allocated to the party that seeks the enhancement.
• Capacity costing requirements. This requires that any upstream costs allocated to access seekers, use published rates to allocate costs as capacity headroom is consumed (not as it is built).
• Pioneer scheme requirements. This requires rebates to be paid to the “pioneers” that fund network extensions as subsequent parties connect.
• Connection charge reconciliation requirement. This requires distributors to prepare and provide a standardised breakdown of connection charges into incremental and network cost components.