Customer Advocacy Group

The Community Choices program is back to support community groups with funding increased to $250,000 this year.

Community groups, charities, community halls and not-for-profit organisations will be able to nominate to participate in the program, with a total of $250,000 to be shared with eligible groups in 20 zones across our network area.

• 1st prize $5,000
• 2nd prize $3,500
• 3rd prize $2,750
• $1,250 for one group located in a small community with populations less than 10,000.

Dates to keep in mind

• Nominations open: 9am, Wednesday 31 May 2023
• Nominations close: 5pm, Monday 26 June 2023
• Voting opens: Midday, Monday 3 July 2023
• Voting closes: 5pm Monday 17 July 2023

Information is available on our website: Community Choices (essentialenergy.com.au).

The types of eligible organisations include: sporting clubs, community associations, animal shelters, surf lifesaving clubs, country women’s associations and men’s sheds. Winners in each zone will be determined by the number of votes received during the voting period, with voters able to vote for multiple groups.

Designing the future of energy together

Essential Energy has submitted its 2024-29 Regulatory Proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), following a two-year program of customer and stakeholder engagement.

The Proposal outlines how Essential Energy will operate and maintain NSW’s largest electricity distribution network from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029 and includes plans to tackle key customer and stakeholder concerns, including realising the benefits of the energy transition and increasing community and network resilience.

Essential Energy engaged over 400 people in a multi-phased program of customer and stakeholder engagement, which commenced in July 2021.

From 1 July 2024 key investments include:

• $317 million in community and network resilience to weather extremes, including strategic deployment of fireproof (composite) power poles, microgrids and stand-alone power systems.
• $171 million in new technologies to support customers to access more renewable energy and increasing electrification such as increase uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), solar and batteries.

The Essential Energy 2024-29 Regulatory Proposal, Fact Sheet and Customer Overview documents are all available on our website

Essential Energy has received global recognition as a finalist in the 2022 Going Digital Awards in Grid, for the development of an Intelligent Digital Design System (IDDS) for substation projects, which involved automating existing manual processes, developing an agile design approach and and multiple system integrations.

You can read more about this here.

Essential Energy is pleased to be part of the NSW Government’s pilot on the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) statements. First published by the international Financial Stability Board in 2017, the TCFD framework is designed to improve climate-related disclosures by organisations, giving stakeholders greater visibility of their approach to climate change.

You can read more about this here.

In an Australian-first, Essential Energy is trialling a hydrogen-powered Stand Alone Power System (SAPS) to power the historic Cutlers Cottage located in the Myall Lakes National Park on the mid-north coast of NSW.

You can read about this here.

Essential Energy is continually working closely with key groups to identify how renewable energy can support sustainable business. Recently we have partnered with The Agricultural Renewable Energy Acceleration Initiative (AREA), NSW Farmers and Norco to find new ways for dairy farmers to manage energy costs and reliability. You can read about this here.

Essential Energy's tariff trials are up and running.

SafeWork NSW in partnership with Essential Energy are running a free lunch and learn series for women involved in the agricultural industry.

Calling all women in agriculture across regional NSW! You’re invited to join us for a free Lunch and Learn event to be held in June/July 2022 with Essential Energy.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with your industry, learn how to navigate and respond to electrical hazards as well as work around farm vehicles and machinery.

Locations: Buronga, Temora, Finley, Goulburn, Griffith, Tumut, Narrabri, Tamworth, Forbes, Dubbo, Nyngan, Cooma, Moruya, Casino, Gloucester, Gunnedah, Inverell, Armidale, Walgett, Moree.

By attending the event, you may be eligible to apply for rebate programs including the small business rebate of up to $1,000, quad bike safety improvement program up to the value of $2,000 and the aerial marker installation program run by Essential Energy (conditions apply).

For more information and to register, follow the link at https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/agriculture,-forestry-and-fishing/farming

Or check out the flyer.

We invite you to read ‘Essential News’ a regular quarterly newsletter to keep up-to-date on projects and activities in your local community.

Email yoursay@essentialenergy.com.au to stay in touch.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Applications for Essential Energy’s Community Hall Program are now open and close midnight, Sunday 28 March 2021. To view the eligibility criteria or to apply, visit essentialenergy.com.au/community-hall

Essential Energy’s Community Hall Program aims to give back to the local halls that make up the social fabric of regional, rural and remote NSW and provide a valuable venue for the provision of localised services for their surrounding areas. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to partnering with the local communities where we live and work as we operate and maintain one of Australia’s largest electricity distribution networks.

Applications for the Community Hall Program are now open and close midnight Sunday 28 March. Through the program, eligible halls will receive a $200 donation to put towards general maintenance costs for the hall.