The ACT is phasing out gas: what it means for your bill

The ACT Government is phasing out fossil fuel gas by 2045, and for a household that decision reaches the appliances, the supply charge and the timing of the next replacement well before the date itself.

If your home cooks, heats or runs its hot water on gas, here is what the ACT is doing, what it means for your bill, what you can do now, and the one thing worth checking with your retailer.

What the ACT is doing

The ACT is moving away from fossil fuel gas to a cleaner, more affordable all-electric energy system. The commitment is to phase out fossil fuel gas by 2045 as part of the Territory's climate and emissions targets. Gas is the second largest source of emissions in the ACT, around 18 per cent of the total, and the ACT's electricity supply is already 100 per cent renewable.

The date that matters more for a household is earlier than 2045. Parts of the gas network are expected to become unviable over time as the pipes age and demand falls, and some sections may begin to be decommissioned from the mid-2030s onwards. The government says the changes will be planned, staged and communicated clearly, with plenty of notice before any part of the network shuts down, and it has committed to consulting on the way there.

This is not a switch that gets flicked. Gas use in the ACT is already declining, and many households and businesses chose to electrify before any decision was made. There are an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 gas appliances still in use across the ACT, and they will be replaced over time, not overnight.

What it means for your bill

Two things.

First, the supply charge. Every gas connection carries one, and the ACT Government puts it at about $300 a year. A home that has switched its last gas appliance to electric stops paying it.

Second, the appliances. Most gas appliances last around 10 to 15 years, and some last longer. A gas heater, hot water unit or cooktop bought today could still be running when the network around it starts to close, and would then need replacing a second time. That is the cost the ACT is warning about: buying gas now and paying twice.

On running costs, the government's position is that efficient electric appliances can cost less to run, especially when paired with solar and a battery, and that electric appliances are often more efficient than the gas ones they replace.

What you can do now

You do not need to switch everything at once. The ACT's advice is the simplest kind: when a gas appliance reaches the end of its life, replace it with an efficient electric one rather than another gas one. Most gas heating, hot water and cooking already has an electric alternative that is widely available and in use.

Planning ahead is the other half. Knowing which of your appliances run on gas and roughly when each will need replacing means you are not caught replacing one sooner than you expected.

Beyond the bill, the government lists a more comfortable home, because modern electric heating and cooling gives better temperature control; a healthier one, because no indoor gas combustion means better air inside; and lower emissions, because electric appliances run on the ACT's renewable electricity.

Support that is available

The ACT Government says it will keep supporting households through the transition, including those who face extra barriers such as low-income households. The support runs from free advice to financial help:

• Sustainable Home Advice Program: expert, tailored advice to help you understand your options and plan the move to electric.
• Access to Electric Program: targeted support for eligible and low-income households to upgrade to efficient electric appliances.
• Sustainable Household Scheme: low interest loans for eligible households, for energy efficient appliances, home batteries and zero emissions transport.
• Home Energy Support Program: rebates for low-income households to go electric, install solar and upgrade insulation, which can be paired with a zero-interest loan.
• Make Your Next Choice Electric: the ACT Government's online tool that identifies the gas appliances in your home, when each may need replacing, what the upgrades might cost and save, and connects you with support.
• Sustainable Business Program: assessments and advice from technical experts, with resources, training and rebates, for a business going electric.

The one thing to check with your retailer

Ask what the supply charge on your gas account comes to over a year. The ACT Government's figure is about $300, and it is the one line on a gas bill that goes away entirely once the last gas appliance in the house is electric. Knowing the number makes the decision about that appliance a plain one.

Based on ACT Government guidance to front-of-house teams, July 2026.

Check what your own bill is doing

The ACT's figure for the supply charge is a Territory-wide one. The number that matters is the one on your own account, and the plan it sits on. Our engine reads your actual gas bill and prices it against the residential gas plans available in the ACT, so you can see the supply charge you pay now and whether a different plan would cut it while the gas connection is still there.

If you want the background first: how to read your gas bill walks the lines on the page, the gas supply charge explained is the line this article is about, and gas hot water versus electric is the appliance decision most Canberra households meet first.