Do I have to tell Western Power about plug-in solar?

Telling the network operator is the one piece of paperwork the draft asks of households. It is meant to be quick, and it comes after you plug in, not before. Plug-in solar is not legal in WA yet, so there is nothing to notify today, and no form to fill in.

What does “install, then notify” mean?

You set up a certified kit, plug it in, and then let your network operator know it is there. The consultation paper lists this as the fourth step of the legalisation plan: “Establish simple notification forms for new system owners to notify network operators, so that Western Power and Horizon Power have some visibility about the numbers of systems customers are using.”

The FAQ says: “Even a small plug-in system affects the grid, so your network operator will need to know it’s there.”

The proposal describes a notification, not an application for approval. The paper says the government looked at using the existing grid connection rules and decided against it, because that “would have made it harder for consumers to access the systems, instead of the proposed ‘install, then notify’ approach.”

How is that different from rooftop solar?

Rooftop solar needs permission before it goes in. Western Power says “An Embedded Generation Connection application is required to install a new inverter system”, and that homeowners are responsible for the connection, though they can let their solar supplier apply for them. Horizon Power’s Basic EG technical requirements also require a new application to add or change a system.

The draft standard keeps the two apart. It does not apply to systems installed under Western Power’s procedure for standard small user facilities or Horizon Power’s Basic EG requirements (clause 1). In other words, plug-in kits get their own simpler path.

	Rooftop solar	Plug-in solar (proposed)
Who installs	Licensed electrician / installer	You, with a certified kit
Network step	Application before installation	Notification after you plug in
Export payments	Possible under existing buyback schemes	None for now (FAQ)

Is it Western Power or Horizon Power?

It depends on where you live. The FAQ says: “Western Power looks after the main electricity grid covering Perth and the South West”, and “Horizon Power covers regional and remote parts of WA.” Your power bill will show which one applies.

Energy Policy WA describes the areas in more detail:

• Western Power builds, maintains and operates the network in the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). The SWIS runs from “Kalbarri to the north, Albany to the south and Kalgoorlie to the east”, and includes Perth.
• Horizon Power is responsible for generation, distribution and sale of electricity outside the SWIS. That includes the North West Interconnected System in the Pilbara, the Esperance network, and over 30 smaller regional and remote networks.

In the SWIS, Synergy is the retailer that sends the bill, and Western Power runs the poles and wires. Outside the SWIS, Horizon Power does both. The draft names the network operator as the one to notify, not the retailer.

Does the notification form exist yet?

No. The form is part of the plan, not something you can use now. As at 5 November 2026, neither Western Power’s nor Horizon Power’s website had a plug-in solar notification form or a plug-in solar page that a search could find. The consultation documents do not give a launch date for the forms.

What will the form ask?

That is not known. The government has not published the form or a list of questions. The paper only calls them “simple notification forms”. Anything else on this would be guesswork.

What the draft does say is what the kit must tell you:

• the product must be marked with a statement that notifying the network operator “about connection and disconnection is mandatory”, with a link to instructions (clause 8.2.3.1)
• the instructions must explain how to notify the network operator of installation and decommissioning (clause 8.3.1)
• the instructions must include “a QR code directing consumers to the relevant guidance and registration process” (clause 8.3.2)

So the kit itself should point you to the right form, once there is one.

Do I need to tell them if I move or stop using it?

Yes, under the proposal. The draft says notification about disconnection is mandatory too (clause 8.2.3.1). On moving house, the FAQ says “users would need to update their notification with a new address and details”. It also says you could leave the system for the next occupant to notify. Renters taking a kit with them: see renters and apartments.

Is there anything else to do after plugging in?

Label the switchboard. Each kit comes with a green reflective label, at least 100 mm across, printed “PV - Plug in”, and the instructions must tell you to stick it on your switchboard (clause 8.2.3.1). Kits with a battery also come with an “ES - Plug in” label (clause 6.5.4). If the switchboard is replaced or moved, a new label goes on (clause 8.3.2).

Will I need a new meter?

No, according to the FAQ, which answers “Do I need a smart meter?” with “No.” There are no export payments for now, so there is no meter change to get paid for surplus. If you live in a cyclone-prone northern town, see also regional WA plug-in solar.