Electrical Power Industry Award pay rates
Award code MA000088, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 35 adult classifications under the Electrical Power Industry Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $26.59 to $52.79 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$26.59an hour
For Technical Grade 1. $997.20 for a full-time week. Up 4.73% from $25.39. Casuals get $33.24 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $26.59 an hour, 0.6% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 49 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Administrative Grade 1$26.80
- Technical Grade 1$26.59
- Administrative Grade 2$28.22
- Operations Grade 2$28.22
- Pay level 2$28.22
- Technical Grade 2$28.22
- Administrative Grade 3$29.86
- Operations Grade 3$29.86
- Pay level 3$29.86
- Technical Grade 3$29.86
- Administrative Grade 4$32.69
- Pay level 4$32.69
- Technical Grade 4$32.69
- Administrative Grade 5$35.58
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- Operations Grade 5$35.58
- Pay level 5$35.58
- Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 5$35.58
- Technical Grade 5$35.58
- Administrative Grade 6$38.45
- Operations Grade 6$38.45
- Pay level 6$38.45
- Technical Grade 6$38.45
- Operations Grade 7$41.33
- Pay level 7$41.33
- Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 7$41.33
- Technical Grade 7$41.33
- Operations Grade 8$44.21
- Pay level 8$44.21
- Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 8$44.21
- Pay level 9$47.09
- Operations Grade 10$49.97
- Pay level 10$49.97
- Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 10$49.97
- Pay level 11$52.79
- Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 11$52.79
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Technical Grade 1.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$26.59 | 125%$33.24 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.89 | 175%$46.53 |
| Sunday | 200%$53.18 | 225%$59.83 |
| Public holiday | 250%$66.48 | 275%$73.12 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Grade 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.80 | $33.50 |
| Technical Grade 1 | $997.20 | $26.59 | $33.24 |
| Administrative Grade 2 | $1,058.30 | $28.22 | $35.28 |
| Operations Grade 2 | $1,058.30 | $28.22 | $35.28 |
| Pay level 2 | $1,058.30 | $28.22 | $35.28 |
| Technical Grade 2 | $1,058.30 | $28.22 | $35.28 |
| Administrative Grade 3 | $1,119.90 | $29.86 | $37.33 |
| Operations Grade 3 | $1,119.90 | $29.86 | $37.33 |
| Pay level 3 | $1,119.90 | $29.86 | $37.33 |
| Technical Grade 3 | $1,119.90 | $29.86 | $37.33 |
| Administrative Grade 4 | $1,225.90 | $32.69 | $40.86 |
| Pay level 4 | $1,225.90 | $32.69 | $40.86 |
| Technical Grade 4 | $1,225.90 | $32.69 | $40.86 |
| Administrative Grade 5 | $1,334.10 | $35.58 | $44.47 |
| Operations Grade 5 | $1,334.10 | $35.58 | $44.47 |
| Pay level 5 | $1,334.10 | $35.58 | $44.47 |
| Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 5 | $1,334.10 | $35.58 | $44.47 |
| Technical Grade 5 | $1,334.10 | $35.58 | $44.47 |
| Administrative Grade 6 | $1,442.00 | $38.45 | $48.06 |
| Operations Grade 6 | $1,442.00 | $38.45 | $48.06 |
| Pay level 6 | $1,442.00 | $38.45 | $48.06 |
| Technical Grade 6 | $1,442.00 | $38.45 | $48.06 |
| Operations Grade 7 | $1,549.80 | $41.33 | $51.66 |
| Pay level 7 | $1,549.80 | $41.33 | $51.66 |
| Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 7 | $1,549.80 | $41.33 | $51.66 |
| Technical Grade 7 | $1,549.80 | $41.33 | $51.66 |
| Operations Grade 8 | $1,657.80 | $44.21 | $55.26 |
| Pay level 8 | $1,657.80 | $44.21 | $55.26 |
| Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 8 | $1,657.80 | $44.21 | $55.26 |
| Pay level 9 | $1,765.90 | $47.09 | $58.86 |
| Operations Grade 10 | $1,873.80 | $49.97 | $62.46 |
| Pay level 10 | $1,873.80 | $49.97 | $62.46 |
| Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 10 | $1,873.80 | $49.97 | $62.46 |
| Pay level 11 | $1,979.80 | $52.79 | $65.99 |
| Professional/Manager/Specialist Grade 11 | $1,979.80 | $52.79 | $65.99 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Adult employees: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Technical Grade 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$26.59 | 125%$33.24 |
| Saturday | 150%$39.89 | 175%$46.53 |
| Sunday | 200%$53.18 | 225%$59.83 |
| Public holiday | 250%$66.48 | 275%$73.12 |
Shiftwork
Adult employees: shiftwork rates
Dollars an hour at Technical Grade 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon shift | 116%$30.84 | 141%$37.49 |
| Night shift | 122.5%$32.57 | 147.5%$39.22 |
| Permanent night shift | 130%$34.57 | 155%$41.21 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time adult employees: overtime
Dollars an hour at Technical Grade 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Day workers and non-continuous shiftworkers: Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours | 150%$39.89 |
| All employees - Sunday | 200%$53.18 |
| Continuous shiftworkers: Monday to Saturday - all hours | 200%$53.18 |
| Day workers and non-continuous shiftworkers: Monday to Saturday - after 2 hours | 200%$53.18 |
| All employees - Public holidays | 250%$66.48 |
Allowances paid on top
9 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 4 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability allowance | ||
| 1 in 5 weeks or moreClause 17.2(a)(i) | $201.58 a week | |
| 1 in 4 weeks or lessClause 17.2(a)(ii) | $291.17 a week | |
| First aid allowanceClause 17.2(b)(i) | $21.28 a week | |
| Power station allowance | ||
| Professional, managerial, specialist or administrative employeesClause 17.2(c)(i) | $22.96 a week | |
| Technical or operations employeesClause 17.2(c)(ii) | $78.39 a week | |
| Open cut brown coal mine allowanceClause 17.2(d) | $123.19 a week | |
| Briquette factory allowanceClause 17.2(e)(i) | $95.19 a week | |
| Coal handling allowanceClause 17.2(f) | $123.19 a week | |
| Transmission allowance, work on overhead/underground power lines or associated plant or equipmentClause 17.2(g) | $67.19 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowanceClause 17.3(a) | $21.17 a meal | |
| Motor vehicle allowance | ||
| Motor vehicleClause 17.3(b)(i) | $1.01 a km | |
| MotorcycleClause 17.3(b)(ii) | $0.34 a km | |
| Tool allowanceClause 17.3(c)(i) | $23.55 a week | |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Electrical Power Industry Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $26.59 an hour ($997.20 a week full time), for Technical Grade 1. The highest adult classification is $52.79 an hour.
- How does the Electrical Power Industry Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $26.59 an hour, 0.6% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 49 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Electrical Power Industry Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.73%, from $25.39 to $26.59 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Electrical Power Industry Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Technical Grade 1 that makes $33.24 an hour.
- What are Sunday rates under the Electrical Power Industry Award?
- Full-time and part-time employees get 200% of the ordinary rate on Sunday: $53.18 an hour at Technical Grade 1. Public holidays are 250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
- What allowances are paid under the Electrical Power Industry Award?
- 13 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including an availability allowance, 1 in 5 weeks or more of $201.58 a week, an availability allowance, 1 in 4 weeks or less of $291.17 a week and a first aid allowance of $21.28 a week. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.