What is Happening?

In preparation for basic connections coming into Essential Connections from 19 June 2023, there will be the following system outages:

1. 5 pm Thursday 15 June 2023 to 7am Friday 16 June 2023.
2. 5 pm Friday 16 June 2023 to 7am Monday 19 June 2023.

Essential Connections will not be available during these outage times.

Good news!

• Essential Connections portal passwords will now last 1 year/ 365 days before needing to be changed.
• You will receive a reminder 5 days before your password expires.
• This change is effective immediately and the 365 days applies from your last password change.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

The go live date for basic connections coming into Essential Connections is 19 June 2023.

To encourage you to quickly switch across, there will be no fees for CCEWs and NOSWs submitted in Essential Connections from 19 June to 3 July. (Don’t forget, you need to submit the Intent to Connect first).

Secure Web Forms will be closed from 4 July for CCEW & NOSW submissions.

• Previous forms will still be accessible.
• Request for Service Work (ROSW) and Requisition for supply of Frequency Injection Relays (FIRs) will continue to be submitted through Secure Web Forms.

CCEWs and NOSWs will need to be submitted by the authorised/ licenced installer who tested the installation works.

You will need to be individually registered to use the portal.

• Please activate your account if you received a Welcome email from OKTA, Essential Energy’s security platform.
• Please go to Essential Connections Registration and register if you are a new user.

Intent to Connect is new. It’s the bridge between approved applications and service and/or electrical works. It will be submitted by the authorised Level 2 ASP or licenced Electrical Contractor doing the works.

Please note that customers will receive some notifications from now on so it will be important to enter customer details correctly.

Protection Settings Requests and Request for a Switchboard Review >100amps will be done in Essential Connections.

Non-standard approvals (where you seek to vary from our construction standards, the Australian / New Zealand wiring rules (AS/NZ 3000) and the NSW Service and Installation rules (SIRs)) will be submitted in Essential Connections. A fee, approved under the Regulatory Framework, will apply to non-standard approvals from 19 June 2023.

Need help? Here’s what’s available.

Self-help resources:

We will share all the links next week.

• Short videos for every activity/ form.
• Step-by-step guides.

Drop-in sessions.

We will hold information and help sessions from 13 June until late July, at 7:30am, 12 noon and 5pm. You can join a session and ask questions and get help. We will share the schedule for this next week.

Essential Energy Contact Centre.

• Call 13 23 91 (General Enquiries).
• Contact aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

Payment options.

• If your business does L1 and L3 works on the Essential Energy network your current invoices for your L1 and L3 works is charged to your 30-day account.
• For your business, when we go live on 19 June with Drop 4, your invoices for NOSW and CCEW will also be charged to your 30-day account. You will no longer pay for these invoices up front. This also means that the invoice won’t be created in Essential Connections but will be emailed to you from our finance system just like happens for your L1 and L3 works.

What do you need to do?

1. Re-read previous information to ensure you’re as ready as possible.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

The go live date for basic connections coming into Essential Connections Portal is 19 June, pending no technical challenges. Included in this Go Live is Notice of Arrangements.

What are you doing?

I need a Notice of Arrangement.

• If a standard construction project is not being managed via Essential Connections Portal, please submit the Notice of Arrangement (NoA) request via the contestable works mailbox: contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
• For all other NoA requests please submit via the Essential Connections Portal.
• Please keep an eye on information updates – we are planning to bring all NoA into Essential Connections Portal soon.
  

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View all communications via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is happening?

The AER has approved Essential Energy’s new regulatory charges for Ancillary Network Services from 1 July 2023.

As an Accredited Service Provider (ASP), Authorised Person (AUP) or Electrical Contractor (EC), please use the new charges applicable to the services you provide when preparing quotations for work to be undertaken after 30 June 2023.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the 2023-24 Pricing Schedules for Ancillary Network Services available on the Essential Energy website
2. Accredited Service Providers, Authorised Persons and Electrical Contractors should consider pricing changes when preparing quotations for customers regarding future work
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation
4. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

To protect everyone’s health and safety, we’ll hold our next round of ASP engagement forums via Zoom, rather than face to face.

In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including Safety, Earthing, how to use the Network Information Portal, as well as updates from Contestable Design and Planning, BetterConnect, Essential Connections and Neara.

We encourage you to participate in these forums. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss our plans and initiatives, and to ask questions or raise issues with Essential Energy team members.

Tuesday 23rd May 2023 9:00am – 11:00am Register Here

Tuesday 23rd May 2023 5:00pm – 7.00pm Register Here

A confirmation email will be sent to you with the Zoom meeting once you have registered.

What do you need to do?

1. Select the session time above that suits you and reserve your spot.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

There is a saying – “A picture tells a thousand words” When a Design and Certification Officer is reviewing design submissions, a photo can help identify construction constraints or issues with a design that Essential Energy may be aware of. Identifying these issues during certification stage can avoid the need to re-certify a plan during construction.

It is now mandatory for designers to upload site photos to Essential Connections as part of the design submission case. The photos can be uploaded using the file upload function in Essential Connections Portal on the design submission case. Please upload to the “1. Plans, Environmental, DBYD and Safety” section of the case. A zip folder is acceptable to upload.

What photos do we want to see?

Ideally, we would like to see photos of the following:

• The connection point to existing assets, open points etc.
• New asset locations or the pegged locations – showing the surrounding area.
• Site restrictions – like batters or drains, CBD locations, footpaths, proximity to roads or structures.
• Road crossing.
• Stays and any new stay locations.
• Operational sites – Gas Switch, Pole Substation, Padmount easement.
• Vegetation along a route, environmental hazards.
• Any hazards identified in the Designer Safety Report (unless they are already included in report).

Tips

• Photos should be time stamped and the file named appropriately – check the settings on your camera/phone.
• For large reconductoring projects, we will not need all pole top photos, just key locations.
• Taking photos of poles in a sequence can help – e.g., pole number, overall pole view, pole top, the to and from spans etc.
• Add all photos in a Zip file to make it easy to upload.
• Google Streetview screenshots are not permitted as site photos.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above and start uploading photos – To allow for inflight projects there will be a grace period up until the 17 of April 2023. Not required for re-certification submissions.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What’s happening?

We are offering training for the Essential Energy iPad Neara application for Level 1 ASPs that are interested.

This is not a mandatory application, but it is available for those who are keen to use it as a tool to assist with their work.

The application offers the following features:

• Ability to see a design in 3D.
• Ability to see surrounding network data in 3D.
• Ability to visualise terrain of the site before a site visit.
• Ability to see design on an iPad.
• Ability to click on links to CEOM drawings (internet access required).
• Ability to see construction schedule down to asset level on an iPad.
• Ability to capture photos and GIS location of the build.
• Ability to calibrate heights against a photo.
• Ability to see the same checks that the Network Assurance Facilitators use.

The application will assist you with quotations and can save time and money.

Can I find out more beforehand?

Watch the presentation providing some information about the application, click on the Recording.

What training options are being offered?

We are offering three optional repeat Zoom training sessions:

• Option 1: Tuesday 14th March from 3.30pm – 5pm. Register Here
• Option 2: Wednesday 15th March from 3.30pm – 5pm. Register Here
• Option 3: Friday 17th March: from 2pm – 3.30pm. Register Here

We recommend that you register in advance. Registrations close 5 minutes before each session. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Do I need anything to participate in the training?

You can just come and listen, however, to get the most out of the training you will need:

• An iPad – must be an iPad Pro with internet connection.
• iPad OS version 16.0 or above.
• Be an authorised Level 1 ASP.

A Neara iPad application licence. Neara are offering an extended trial version for three months to those who express interest before the training. Email oscar@neara.com directly if you’d like the free trial version.

What do you need to do?

• Register for one of the above training sessions.
  
• View this communication via Essential Engagement
• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
  

For more information:

Please do not hesitate to contact the Digital Asset Management team at dam@essentialenergy.com.au. if you have any queries.

Changes to the Low Voltage Connections External User Guide.

We have made a change to the structure of the external user guide for low voltage connections. The enquiry, application and design processes were all contained within one large guide.

However, based on your feedback, we have now split these guides to provide a process focus so that customers can find the process specific information they are after rather than having to go through a large guide. We have also created a number of videos for the design related processes and linked them to the new guides. All guides can be found on the support page on our website:Essential Connections Support.

The new guides are:

• Connection Enquiry.
• Connection Application.
• Design Information Application – with videos for the DIA process, how to collaborate with the design team and what to do when a case is moved to Pending Requestor.
• Design Certification - with videos for the design certification process and recertification process, how to collaborate with the design team and what to do when a case is moved to Pending Requestor.
• Non-Standard Approvals.
• Easements.
• Asset Labels.

Essential Connections Invoice Reference Number (EEI-xxxxxxxxxxxxxx).

Customers that are paying for an invoice out of Essential Connections have experienced an issue with not having the ability to copy and paste the invoice reference number from the body of the email. As a result, we have now amended the automated email that goes out with the invoice to include the EEI reference number which can be copied and pasted into the portal.

Searching for an ECN Number when you are not the owner of the application case.

Earlier this year several customers that were not the owner of the application case, when they tried to search in Essential Connections using the ECN nothing was returned in the search. We have made an update to the system that now resolves this issue, and anyone can search using the ECN number (note, the search will only return cases that your business owns under that ECN).

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What’s happening?

Essential Energy is offering Level 1 ASPs access to our 3D digital asset management system. This cost-efficient and time-saving system can enable you to:

• See designs created by the Level 3 ASP in Neara software in 3D.
• See surrounding network data in 3D.
• See designs on an iPad rather than on paper.
• Preview site terrain before a site visit.
• Click on links to CEOM drawings via internet connection.
• View projects from construction schedule down to asset level.
• Capture photos and GIS location of the build.
• Calibrate heights against photos.
• See the same checks that the Network Assurance Facilitators use.
• Reduce re-work.

Want to know more?

We’re holding three repeat information and demonstration sessions for Level 1 ASPs to view and find out more about the system. We’ll also discuss what hardware, software and licensing arrangements you’ll need to use Neara.

You will need to register before joining the Zoom session, either beforehand, or on the day at least five minutes before the starting time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

• Wednesday, 1st March from 8am – 9am: Register Here
• Thursday, 2nd March from 4pm – 5pm: Register Here
• Friday, 3rd March from 2pm – 3pm: Register Here

Need Neara training for iPad?

We’re running three repeat training sessions, also by Zoom. These will be held on:

• Tuesday, 14th March from 3.30pm – 5pm.
• Wednesday, 15th March from 3.30pm – 5pm.
• Friday, 17th March from 2pm – 3.30pm.

Registration, Zoom links and more information about these training sessions with be provided following the information sessions. Further face-to-face, practical hands-on sessions are also being planned.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the information sessions or training sessions, please contact the Digital Asset Management project at dam@essentialenergy.com.au

Essential Connections Portal Maintenance from 10:00am this Friday 10th February - 07:00am 13th February 2023.

Essential Energy will be performing maintenance on the Essential Connections portal from 10:00am Friday 10th February 2023 to 7:00am Monday 13th February 2023. During this time, applications and enquiries will not be able to be submitted. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Requesting a DIA for a Major Connection Project

With the launch of our Major Connections functionality in the Essential Connections portal a few weeks ago we have also introduced a new pathway for submitting a Design Information Application (DIA) request relating to these Major Connections projects. A DIA request requires an ECN number and an application case number, so we have created a new application type called the ‘Major Connection Contestable Works Project application’. The application takes less than 5 minutes to complete, auto-approves and has no fee attached so you can get your application case number and ECN immediately and proceed to your DIA request.

As part of the application process, we ask for you to enter the ECN number from the Major Connections process so please make sure you get this from the proponent of the Major Connection (or whoever submitted the Detailed Enquiry). The system will not let you proceed if the ECN you select isn’t related to a major connection. Additionally, a DIA can only be requested for a Major Connection when our connections planning team determine that the project has proceeded sufficiently to inform an accurate DIA request. If you try to submit this application and are unable to proceed, please check the ECN number with the connection proponent or ask them to contact their connection co-ordinator.

We have also developed a guide to help you navigate this new connection application which can be found Essential Connections Support.

Load Requirements in Application Form

We have received a few enquiries from customers around whether the ‘Required Load’ fields in our low voltage connection application forms for existing connections require the total load or only the new load required. For these fields you need to enter the total required load following the proposed connection (i.e. existing load plus new load). Our Essential Connections Support-Registered User Guide has been updated to make this requirement clearer.

User Nicknames

You would have noticed that on some of the communications sent from the Essential Energy portal your ‘name’ has been a random 20-digit number. We have recently updated the system to use your ‘first name, last name’ instead of the random number.

What do you need to do?

• Review the guide to help navigate this new application.
• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
• View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.