A free advice service will be set up to offer support to multi-unit buildings to retrofit electric appliances and power, while strata law changes will cut red tape stopping electrification in apartment buildings.
The ACT government will on Wednesday release a plan setting out how it intends to transition Canberra to running as an all-electric city, including a $5.2 million two-year electrification program for about 350 low-income households and a commitment to electrify all possible public housing by 2030.
The Integrated Energy Plan, which covers the period from 2024 to 2030, focuses on supporting residential and commercial power customers to switch to electric appliances.
A household that switches to electric appliances for cooking, heating and hot water stands to save about $735 annually, the government said.
The ACT government said a "Retrofit Readiness" program will be set up to advise apartment building owners.
"Advice and administrative support will be provided to help stakeholders understand and make their way through the ACT's unit title rules and regulations. Buildings will also receive a technical engineering report providing a recommended electrification solution that is tailored to the building's specific inputs and needs," the plan will say.
The ACT has offset its electricity supply with 100 per cent renewable electricity since 2020.
Energy Minister Shane Rattenbury said electrification was the cheapest way for Canberra to become a city that produced net-zero emissions.
"The integrated energy plan sets a clear pathway for our work to phase out fossil gas, electrify our city and ensure a just transition. It prioritises support for the lowest income Canberrans who most need assistance, and it provides targeted support for apartment residents to make the electrification process smoother," Mr Rattenbury said.
"Successfully transitioning our city off fossil gas will rely on the combined efforts of the entire ACT community over the coming decades."
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the government was committed to ensuring every Canberran would benefit from the transition to a low-emissions future.
"As Canberra grows towards a city of 500,000 people by 2027, we have a plan to invest in infrastructure that supports our city's future through affordable, clean energy," Mr Barr said.
"Swapping from gas to electric appliances and investing in energy efficiency will deliver significant bill savings to Canberrans. For the 18,700 households that have already taken up loans under the SHS, to date they have already saved an estimated $43 million on their energy bills."
The government will also release a climate infrastructure update, setting out the expected costs and timeline of projects including the Big Canberra Battery, upgrades to tip sites, electric vehicle chargers, and an all-electric bus fleet.
