Essential Connections Portal update

What is Happening?

Our new Essential Connections self-service portal – the latest stage of our end-to-end connections process improvements – will go live soon. We are working through several activities to get everyone ready and plan to commence transition to the new portal in the first week of May.

When we go live, you will be able to create and submit all low voltage (LV) connection enquiries and applications through the new portal.

All High Voltage (HV) connection enquires, applications, design, construction, testing and quality assurance processes will be transitioned to Essential Connections in future stages of the project.

See image below for stages of the Essential Connections rollout:

What is changing?

As we deliver new enhancements, many of our manual processes will be automated through Essential Connections. The self-service portal will ensure that:

• Information only needs to be submitted once
• Jobs are accessible in one system
• Requests can be submitted electronically (using different device types)
• Email and SMS notifications will alert you when you need to do something, such as provide additional information or accept a connection offer.

What are the benefits?

• Visibility of all your jobs within one portal
• Electronic signature for Connection Offer acceptance
• Easy-to-use online payment gateway for upfront payments
• Proactive notifications for job progress (no more calling Essential Energy for updates)
• Updated information and knowledge articles available on the Essential Energy website to help you use the new portal.

Activating your Essential Connections account

Before you can access Essential Connections and submit enquiries and applications, you will need to activate your account. We will share more detailed information on activating your account in our next communication.

Introduction of fees and upfront payment

The Essential Connections portal enables Essential Energy to charge for Ancillary Network Services fees as required by the Australian Energy Regulator. Until now, we have not charged for some of these fees, as our systems did not support such charging. To find out more, visit Essential Engagement.

When will you hear from us next?

We will update you with further information on the status of how we are progressing with the transition plan of Essential Connections and activating your account in our next communication on 26 April.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

For further information about the Essential Connections portal, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.