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What is happening?
New rules for installing and registering rooftop solar are coming in 2026.
Free webinar: Learn about the Emergency Backstop Mechanism, NSW Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Installer Portal and flexible export limits, launching in mid-2026.
Hear directly from NSW Government and network experts, get practical guidance and have your questions answered live. The webinar will be held on Wednesday 26 November at 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm, please click here to register.
Free online training (20 CPD points): Upgrade your skills to ensure compliant installations and help customers get the most from their solar. Register now using the QR code and earn 20 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points.
What do you need to do?
- Ensure you are registered to attend the webinar.
- Complete the training (20 CPD points).
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
For more information, please email future.networks@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
As we enter storm season, it’s critical to be aware of Essential Energy’s safety requirements regarding lightning strikes.
Essential Energy employee safety requirements
While ASPs are responsible for their worksites, Essential Energy employees are required to adhere to the following safety protocols if a lightning alert is received, or thunder is heard:
- Stop work immediately—lightning can strike up to 10 km ahead of a storm
- Wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning strike before resuming work
- Do not stay in open areas or under tall objects like trees or poles
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Move inside a vehicle if possible. If no shelter is available, crouch down with your feet together and your head tucked in. If you’re with others, spread out and keep several meters apart
- Avoid contact with anything that could conduct electricity, such as gates
- Stop operating Mobile Elevated Work Platforms and cranes. If possible, stow them during storms
- Always notify other crews in the area by radio when you detect thunder or lightning.
This may impact ASP outage timeframes.
What do you need to do?
- Review the above information
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
The Essential Connections enquiry channel has been updated to include the option ‘General Enquiry’. A general enquiry can be independent or linked to an existing case. To raise an enquiry, you can either be a registered user or a guest.
This option has been created to assist you with minor questions, when you don’t know who to reach out to or what process to follow. The majority of general enquiries will not incur a fee however those that require technical assessment will.
We will continue to develop the general enquiry channel over time to improve your experience.
Types of Enquiries
To help us to assist you and ensure your enquiry gets to the correct team, please select the correction option from the below enquiry listing:
- General Enquiry: What's on your mind today? Ask away.
- Solar enquiries: for solar energy connections including installations and upgrades.
- Pioneer scheme: for questions about pioneer scheme eligibility.
- Easement and land: for legal review, development applications and easement enquiries for conveyancing.
- Real estate development: for a notice of arrangement or enquiries about real estate.
- Network information: for information such as basic asset information (up to 5 assets) and power availability.
- Technical time with our experts: for technical enquiries such as site assessments and design analysis.
- Processed connection offer enquiries: for enquiries related to processed connection offers.
What do you need to do?
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
- Select the correct category for your enquiry through Essential Connections.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
The Essential Energy Connections virtual forum was held on 6 November 2025, click here to view the supporting slide deck.
What do you need to do?
Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy will be hosting an opt-in support session for Level 2 ASPs and Electrical Contractors with questions relating to the Essential Connections Portal. The session will run for 1 hour – please drop in anytime, you can ask a quick question or stay as long as you choose.
The opt-in support session will be held on Tuesday 11 November at 8 am to 9 am - please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Ensure you are registered to attend the support sessions.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy will be hosting an opt-in support session for Level 2 ASPs and Electrical Contractors with questions relating to the Essential Connections Portal. The session will run for 1 hour – please drop in anytime, you can ask a quick question or stay as long as you choose.
The opt-in support session will be held on Tuesday 11 November at 8 am to 9 am - please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Ensure you are registered to attend the support sessions.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
The Essential Connection Information Session with Level 2 ASPs and Electrical Contractors was held on 14 October 2025. To view the slide deck, click here and the recording click here.
What do you need to do?
Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy’s Biannual Connections forum will be held on Thursday 6 November 2025 via Microsoft Teams. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:
- Safety
- Network defects
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Underground standards
- Cable joint quality of workmanship
- CEOM7098 Underground Design Manual Update
-
Public light products
- Supply issues and alternatives on the Approved Materials List
- Introducing smart lighting products
- Changes to the Contestable Network Solutions team
- Update on Crown Lands
- Underground Design in NEARA
- Update on Level 3 Authorisation agreement
- Update from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Ask us anything Q&A session.
We encourage you to participate in this forum. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss our plans and initiatives, and to ask questions or raise issues with Essential Energy team members This includes time allocated for you to ask us anything.
To help us better respond to your questions on the day, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au with the topics or issues you would like addressed.
Note: this is a live session, and a recording will not be shared.
Registration
The forum will be held on Thursday 6 November 2025 from 10.00am to 1.00 pm – please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Click on register to reserve your spot.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is Happening?
To minimise disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, we’ll cease scheduling planned outages with a customer impact from 19 December 2025 until 4 January 2026.
Our Contestable Works office will also be closed from 19 December 2025, with business resuming as normal from 5 January 2026. During this period, minimal Essential Connections Portal cases/enquires/emails/documentation or Asset Labels will be processed.
What do you need to do?
- Review your planned interruption schedule for the dates above and work with your nominated Local Depot Switching Resource to reschedule where required.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy will be hosting an opt-in support session for Level 2 ASPs and Electrical Contractors with questions relating to the Essential Connections Portal. The session will run for 1 hour – please drop in anytime, you can ask a quick question or stay as long as you choose.
The opt-in support session will be held on Tuesday 14 October at 8 am to 9 am - please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Ensure you are registered to attend the support sessions.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
