The final step of electrifying a home — and the one that locks in an ongoing saving — is disconnecting the gas. Once your last gas appliance is electric, the gas connection does nothing but cost you the daily supply charge. This guide explains why and how to disconnect, the difference between capping and abolishing, the savings, and the one thing (a gas cooktop) that keeps the connection in place. It is general guidance; your gas distributor sets the actual process and fees.
Why Disconnect Gas
The reason is simple: the gas daily supply charge is billed just for having a connection, regardless of use. Once you have replaced your last gas appliance with electric, that connection is sitting idle while still costing you around $300 or more a year. Disconnecting removes the charge entirely, capturing a guaranteed, usage-independent saving for the life of the home. It is the step that turns “mostly electric” into “all-electric with no gas bill at all”. See our savings guide.
Abolishment vs Capping
There are two ways to stop gas, and the difference matters for the supply charge. Capping temporarily shuts off the gas at the meter while leaving the connection in place — the connection (and usually the supply charge) remains. Abolishment permanently removes the gas service to the property, which is what eliminates the daily supply charge. For a home going fully electric with no intention of returning to gas, abolishment is the option that removes the ongoing cost. Capping suits a temporary pause; abolishment suits a permanent goodbye to gas.
The Supply-Charge Saving
The saving from abolishment is the removed daily supply charge — roughly $300 or more a year, every year, regardless of usage. There is a one-off abolishment fee charged by the gas distributor, but it is offset over time by that recurring saving, typically paying back within a few years. After that, it is pure ongoing saving. For homes that used little gas anyway (just heating, now electrified), the supply charge was a large share of the gas bill, so removing it is especially worthwhile.
The Disconnection Process
Abolishing the gas is arranged through your gas distributor, who carries out the permanent disconnection and removal of the service to the property, for a fee. The process and cost vary by distributor and property. It is best done once all gas appliances have been removed or replaced, so the home is genuinely all-electric. Planning the abolishment as the final step of your electrification — after heating, hot water and cooking are sorted — ensures a clean finish and stops the supply charge promptly.
Keeping a Gas Cooktop
The one common reason homeowners keep a gas connection is a gas cooktop. If you keep gas cooking, you retain the connection and continue paying the supply charge — so you do not capture that saving. Many homeowners who want to disconnect fully switch to an induction cooktop, which is efficient, fast and removes the last reason to keep gas. Whether to keep gas cooking is a personal preference; just be aware it is the thing that keeps the connection — and the supply charge — in place.
Timing Your Disconnection
Disconnect as the final step, once your last gas appliance has been electrified and you are confident you will not return to gas. Sequence your electrification — heating, hot water, cooking — then abolish the gas to stop the supply charge as soon as the connection is genuinely redundant. Co-ordinating the timing avoids paying the supply charge any longer than necessary, while making sure you are not left without an appliance you still rely on. FreshDuct can help plan the right electrification sequence for your home. Call 0431 918 137.