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Background
Essential Energy recently received the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) Final Distribution Determination for Ancillary Network Services covering the 2024-29 Regulatory Control Period (RCP). This determination regulates the pricing structure for Essential Energy to provide services to external customers.
What does this mean for you?
From 1 July 2024, Essential Energy will implement approved Ancillary Network Services as per the AER’s determination.
To help you understand any changes in services and charges, we will be developing supporting information and guidelines for ASPs shortly. These documents will be located on Essential Energy’s Document Library and we will communicate when they are available.
Please note, however, that throughout the 2024-29 RCP, Essential Energy may introduce several new regulatory services in targeted areas, based on external feedback, statutory changes and to better reflect the way services are provided.
Additionally, implementation of the AER’s determination by Essential Energy from 1 July 2024 will incur CPI and other cost increases each year until 30 June 2029. ASPs should review service and price changes when preparing quotations for future work.
Where is information about the changes available?
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?
In September 2023 Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) started to transition from physical identification cards to Digital IDs. This communication is to provide clarification on what to do when you change mobile phones.
The Digital ID will not move across to a different mobile phone and your ID credentials will need to be re-issued for the new phone. To action this, please email Essential Energy security, eesecurity@essentialenergy.com.au to let them know you are changing devices and ask for your credentials to be re-issued. Once you receive the new credentials please follow the original instructions.
What do you need to do?
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
- Contact Essential Energy security, eesecurity@essentialenergy.com.au, when you change mobile phones.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email Essential Energy Security at eesecurity@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
IMPORTANT: Essential Energy have updated our Bush Fire Priority Ratings
Over the past 12 months, Essential Energy has updated their Bushfire Priority Ratings (BPR). The modelling used to determine the ratings has been improved through the energy networks Australia project IGNIS. This was a joint collaboration between several utilities and the University of Melbourne. For more information relation to the bushfire modelling change please click here.
What this means is that many areas that were a Priority 1 have changed and other areas in the state have been updated to Priority 1.
The map below shows the changes.
We store these BPRs in our GIS system. The GIS data has now been updated and pole reports and information in your Design Information Packs will now have the new BPR - P1 to P4.
Remember that P1 areas require specific design parameters for circuit clearance. Refer to CEOM7097 – Overhead Design Manual, Clause 3-4-4-4 Special requirements for bushfire risk areas.
NEARA GIS parameters
Designers would be aware that NEARA has GIS information when you select a pole.
Please note unfortunately, due to technical reasons, these BPR changes are not yet reflected within the GIS shown in Neara against each pole. Until the network model in Neara is updated, you will need to refer to the “Additional Properties” panel against each pole selected.
See the screenshots below for help in finding this data.
Please update your inflight designs from the master file to view the updated bushfire risk priority in the additional properties panel for each pole.
The links below will assist you in updating your design from the master file.
All of Essential Energy’s how-to guides and training videos are available on Essential Energy’s Digital Asset Management page at the link below.
What do you need to do?
- Review the above information and check the design information for latest Bushfire Priority Ratings.
- When in NEARA, please refer to the BPR noted in the Additional Properties Panel.
- 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?
We’ve created a new Central Team under our Manager of Contestable Design, Glenn Leman.
The below map shows the depots that are within each of these three regions.
Meet the teams
Northern Region – Drew Bugden P: 07 5506 3838
- Graham Foxwell, Dan Sherwin, Craig McElroy, Cleveland Maltman, David Smith, Steve Cuningham, Martin Tanner
Central Region – Michael Wilson M: 0488 175 560
- Paul Turley, Cameron Woo, Jason Boundy, Jeena Joseph
Southern Region – Tom Bollard M: 02 6589 8496
- Micheal Parris, Chris Gorham, Jeremy Bryce, Wayne Armour, Luke Horton
Complex Team – David Shawcross M: 0437 558 903
- Paul Elston, Troy Dent, Justin Evans, Ben Dalgarno Fixter, Ben Saxon
Case allocations
Based on project location postcodes, cases submitted into the portal are automatically allocated to the relevant region queues. Sometimes if we’re experiencing a workload spike in your project’s region, your case may be allocated to a person from a different region.
Escalation process
If you're having difficulties with a project, please contact the Design and Certification officer via our Essential Connections Portal or by phone (on the number supplied in the Design information pack), or the Team Leader. If you remain concerned, you can escalate your difficulties to Glenn Leman, either by e-mail via glenn.leman@essentialenergy.com.au, or mobile on 0467 866 192.
What do you need to do?
- Review the above information and attached map.
- Save the Team Leaders contact details 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 Energy ASP Forum (zoom) was held on 1 May 2024. The links to supporting material are listed below.
What do you need to do?
-
Review the slide deck and watch the recording of the ASP Forum May 2024
- 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.
Please be advised that maintenance will occur on Tuesday 30 April 2024 4pm to 5pm. During this time Secure Web Forms (SWF) will be unavailable.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
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.
Important Notice: Outage Scheduling and Contestable Works Process
Essential Energy has observed instances where outages have been scheduled prior to the submission of CEOF6012 - Notice to Commence Construction (NTCC). Additionally in some cases, easements have not yet been finalised, resulting in some outages requiring rescheduling.
To streamline our processes and ensure smoother project execution, please note the following:
- NTCC Submission: A CEOF6013 - Notice of Required Outage/Connection request will not be processed until an NTCC has been accepted and a startup meeting scheduled.
- Contestable Works Submission: For projects not being administered via Essential Connection, all forms must be emailed to contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
Note, outage requests will only be processed via the contestable works inbox after the NTCC has been processed.
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 ASP engagement forum will be held on 1 May 2024 via Zoom. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:
- Safety
- Overhead Standards Essential Connections Portal, including the Construction rollout
- Details of surveyor’s advice, asset location survey plan
- Network Assurance update, including Level 1 ASP aged defects and Level 2 ASP process assessments
- Contestable Network Solutions, contestable projects which include working with neighbours and the planning report
- Ancillary Network Service fees
- Dedicated question time.
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.
Registration
The forum will be held on Wednesday 1 May 2024 from 10.00am to 12.00 noon – please click here to register.
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?
While availability of NGK Stanger Pty Ltd gas switches has improved in the last few months, lead time for purchasing directly from NGK Stanger is currently a minimum of 8 weeks. Please factor this into your project plans.
If you need switches sooner for any critical jobs, you can purchase them through Essential Energy’s external sales team by emailing external.sales@essentialenergy.com.au.
What do you need to do?
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
- View this communication via Essential Engagement.
Further Information
If you require further details, please contact NGK Stanger Pty Ltd customer service team via email at sales@ngkstanger.com.au or Essential Energy’s external sales team via email at external.sales@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Use of the QR2id system is mandatory for installing cable joints and terminations on Essential Energy’s network. If the QR code process on these assets is not fully or accurately completed, we will deem the asset non-compliant and may require its replacement at the installer’s expense.
To help improve completeness and accuracy of your submissions to the QR2id system, please ensure that the following information is included:
- accurate jointer and company details
-
photographic evidence:
- Preparation - cable preparation only, showing semi conductive material removal
- Installed - Installed stress control void filling mastic and stress control application
- Insitu - Completed Joint or Termination in final position complete with QR2id tag
- Installed – Take steps away from the installation to pick up near-by landmark that may assist with future location
- accurate GPS location. Moving the blue icon can improve Latitude and Longitude details.
It’s important to remember that sharing your login details is strictly prohibited. If you are sharing a device to submit installation data, make sure you log yourself in and out appropriately. The installer on record is accountable for all submissions completed with their login and will be assumed responsible in the event of a jointer error resulting in asset failure.
Critical information checklist
Below is the information that should be collected in the submissions to the database -
- Packing ID Code (scan if applicable)
- Joint/Termination Identifier (Scan QR2id Tag and attach)
- Installation Category Essential Energy Part Number
- Manufacturer (pre-populated if package ID is scanned)
- Product Description (pre-populated if package ID is scanned)
- System Voltage Sets Cable Voltage
- Cable Voltage (Insulation rating), Selecting LV enables a wider range of Cores numbers.
- Other cable details (including - supplier and drum number).
Selecting confirm will immediately uploaded the submission and email confirmation will be sent to the Jointer. This should be completed immediately on completion by the jointer.
Need more help?
The QR2id APP is free of charge and has no service fee. It is compatible with any smart device and is supported by modern web-browsers. You will need to provide permission for the QR2id APP to connect to your GPS location and camera to submit the mandatory information to the database.
Only the kits supplied by DT Jointing Solutions have the QR2id codes on the box and tag/s in the kit, allowing pre-population of kit information. Other approved kits not supplied by DT Jointing Solutions will require manual information and photo entry and QR2id tag installation. Essential Energy’s CAT number as per the CEOM drawings is 851595.
Support is available directly to QR2id via telephone support line: (07) 3378 4677 or general enquiries: (07) 3380 4600, or you can email support@QR2iD.com.
Please see below previous communications in relation to this.
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 support@QR2iD.com.
Bushfire Priority Zone Transition BFP ASP Comms (101 MB) (mp4)
Policy/Documents
