'If you are a tradesperson and you are interested in participating in the Albany gas Transition Program, please register your interest in joining the Transition Program.
In January 2026, ATCO Gas Australia (ATCO) announced its decision to shut down the Albany reticulated gas network. This means that every customer in Albany connected to the network, and billed by Alinta Energy, will need to switch over to either bottled gas or to all-electric appliances ahead of the decommissioning of their part of the network over the next three years.
The Albany Gas Transition Program, led by the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, has been established by the WA Government to provide customers with advice on their energy options, guidance on the steps to take, and financial assistance to support the switchover to their chosen energy source.
Qualified local and regional trades are essential to delivering this transition. This pack tells you what is needed to take part: the licences, standards, safety practices, insurances required, what the two conversion types involve, how customers will access support, and how to register to be part of the program. We want your involvement to be as straightforward as possible, and you can reach out to us for support at any time.
Why does the Transition Program need your help?
Around 6,500 private households and businesses need to switchover to new energy sources across Albany over the next three years. We need gasfitters, plumbers, electricians, and refrigeration and air conditioning technicians to carry out these conversion works, to ensure that everyone is transitioned off the ATCO network in time.
The WA Government is providing funding for customers to transition to a new energy source. These funds will be paid directly to trades that are registered to participate in the Transition Program.
The first zone will start to transition away from the network in January 2027. A list of our program’s registered trades will be provided to customers who will seek a quote and book in their conversion works.
You can use ATCO’s interactive map to search for addresses to see which zone they fall into, and the Transition Program and decommissioning timelines.
Customer conversion types
Customers will fall into two categories: residential and small gas-use business customers, and large gas-use customers consuming over 30 gigajoules (GJ) of gas per year. Different conversion processes and support arrangements apply to each group.
Regardless of the customer pathway or conversion chosen, all program payments will be made directly to registered trades.
Standard conversions
Households and small gas-use businesses follow the standard conversion process. these customers must wait until they are notified that the Transition Program is live in their zone and can choose to switchover to LPG bottles or to all-electric appliances. You should be ready to quote for both conversion options, if possible.
LPG bottles
For many households and businesses, this will be the most straightforward approach. Existing gas appliances will continue to work with LPG bottles, and the WA Government will cover the cost of a standard conversion to bottled LPG supply.
At quote stage, if you visit a property and find that it’s not possible to convert to LPG bottles, or it’s likely to cost significantly more than a standard conversion, you will need to note this when submitting the application through our system. It will then be flagged as a complex case and assessed for additional support on a case-by-case basis.
All-electric
Switching to all-electric appliances may suit households or businesses where LPG bottles cannot be safely accommodated on the property or if electrification is the preferred energy solution.
The WA Government will provide a contribution of up to $2,000 towards purchasing and installing electric appliances under a standard conversion. The customer must then cover any remaining cost and pay this directly to the you. If the customer chooses an all-electric transition, you may need to order the new appliances on the customers behalf.
Large gas-use customers
Large gas-use customers, consuming over 30 GJ of gas per year, have been offered a government-funded business energy audit to help them make informed decisions on which energy source to transition to and the likely costs. These audits will determine the level of funding available to these customers.
Large gas-use customers will have the flexibility to transition ahead of their zone’s transition period, and their funding allocation will also be paid directly to the registered trades carrying out their conversion works.
