The ACT government is considering a ban on new gas appliances as part of its plan to switch the territory to renewable power.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Energy Minister Shane Rattenbury on Wednesday released an integrated energy plan, setting out how the government plans to make Canberra an all-electric city.
The plan includes support for apartment buildings, 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.
Mr Barr said a ban on gas appliances, such as cooktops and heaters, would be considered as part of the government's energy transition work.
"That's one of the things that we will need to consider as part of this next phase of work; what are the regulatory interventions that may be necessary," Mr Barr said.
"But at the moment, the focus is on supporting people to make the transition to electric when the time is right for them."
The government's plan says a ban on the installation of gas appliances could be considered by the end of the decade.
"The ACT government will need to explore options to accelerate the transition and move towards regulatory options to ensure emissions reduction targets are met," the plan said.
"This could include updating the minimum standards for rental properties or prohibiting the installation of new gas appliances towards the end of this decade, consistent with the government's approach to phasing out the sale of new light internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035."
The plan warned delaying a transition to all-electric households would lock in high gas costs for consumers and future greenhouse gas emissions.
"The pace of the transition will be examined as the government undertakes the mid-point review of the first [integrated energy plan] in 2027," the plan said.
The ACT has committed to switching off the gas network by 2045, and has already banned new gas connections for homes in the capital.
However, a decline in the number of gas customers in the ACT may threaten the economic viability of the network up to a decade before the system is shut off.
"Under current policy settings, the gas network is expected to remain an important energy source for the next 10-15 years and will remain economically viable until the mid-2030s," a position paper released in August 2023 said.
"After this time the decline in customers and gas demand may put pressure on the economic viability of the network remaining in its current form."
A survey released in October 2023 found a quarter of Canberra households were seriously considering switching off their gas connection, more than double the number of households across Australia.
The Energy Consumers Australia energy consumer behaviour sentiment survey showed ACT respondents were more likely to be considering upgrades to more energy efficient household appliances and abandoning gas than the rest of the country.
Just under 30 per cent of Canberra households have considered converting from gas but are not yet ready to make the switch, the survey found.
Gas currently comprises 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the ACT, which will need to be cut if the capital is to reach the government's 2045 net zero emissions target.
