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Important Reminder to all Level 3 Designers
Design Information Package (DIP)
Essential Energy have been made aware on several occasions where designs have been completed by Level 3 Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) as a desktop only design and no site inspection has been undertaken. Level 3 ASPs are reminded that as per CEOP2015 General Terms and Conditions for Contestable Work –
Section 5.5.2 Design Information Package:
Design information is provided in good faith from Essential Energy records and the information
provided by the applicant. Essential Energy does not warrant or accept liability for inaccuracies or
incomplete information. The applicant must inform Essential Energy of any conflict with the
information supplied as soon as it becomes evident during design or construction of the project.
Level 3 ASPs are to ensure site inspections are undertaken and all information and documentation is correct prior to the submission of the design and subsequent construction by the Level 1 ASP. Completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment REF Worksheet (CEOF1070.02) for any project requires a declaration on page 18 to be completed acknowledging that, the person completing the document has visited the site prior to the commencement of the proposed works.
Updates to DIP General Information section
The Design Information Package template is currently being updated to provide information regarding third party attachments and additional advice for lots within a subdivision which may be further subdivided. Once these changes are finalised, they will be implemented into the general information section of all DIPs.
Civil work for substation sites
Padmount substation sites are a critical component of URD projects and site selection is a very important component of producing a compliant design. Padmount sites which will be impacted by civil works requirements need to be identified in the early stages of a project to ensure this does impact the delivery of the construction phase.
Retaining walls which are required to support a cut or fill situation for a padmount substation need to be designed and certified by a civil engineer and this certification needs to be presented and endorsed by Essential Energy prior to the design submission. Retaining walls should not be constructed within the boundaries of the padmount substation easement.
There have been a number of recent projects where retaining walls where required at the substation site and the required information has only presented after the original design submission. Identification of retaining walls on a construction plan needs to be detailed where they will have a direct impact on the electricity assets.
Vegetation removal and identification
Recent projects examples have highlighted the importance of the identification of existing vegetation on construction plans. Construction of padmount substation sites under trees or deviating from the correct cable alignment are the direct result of construction plans not reflecting the current site conditions.
It is the Level 3 ASPs responsibility to ensure that the construction plan depicts the actual site conditions and what will also be constructed. Not identifying vegetation on plans which incur construction defects will require input from the Level 3 ASP which can have significant cost impacts to the project.
Vegetation removal requires the development of a vegetation management plan in many cases and this should be presented along with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and part of the design submission.
Design Information Applications (DIA)
The accuracy and completeness of the Design Information Application (CEOF6010) Is important in ensuring that the Design Information Package can be developed and issued as efficiently as possible. In order to further streamline and eliminate delays the admin team have been filtering applications to ensure they are submitted fully completed and with the necessary attachments. The requirements were communicated across the latest ASP forums and the presentation from those forums can be accessed via this link: engage.essentialenergy.com.au/ASP.
The accuracy and completeness of DIA submissions will be very important as we continue to improve processing efficiency and remove delays.
Provision for large corner lots in a URD
When preparing conceptual designs for subdivisions which contain large corner lots, there should be consideration given to the potential to further subdivide. If the intent to further subdivide larger lots is known at the development stage of the electricity requirements, it is acceptable to produce a design which allows for the infrastructure to be installed at either corner of the lots to facilitate a two-lot subdivision.
To ensure new lots will be suitably serviced and future requirements met, as a minimum a single service point will be installed on larger corner lots with a provisional conduit installed to allow an additional connection point to be installed on the other lot boundary without the requirements for further trenching and excavation works.
Enhancement Letters
Notification to existing lot owners is extremely important to avoid unwanted delays to a project when it enters construction phase. This is a reminder that part of the process to notify land owners requires a site meeting, to provide effected people an opportunity to be consulted and subsequent to this an enhancement letter would generally be sent out. Enhancement letters should not refer to completion of the project on behalf of or for Essential Energy as a contractor. Letters should identify the scope of the works and the responsible Level 3 ASP with the addition of the Level 1 ASP details if available.
