Background

During the investigation of an ASP incident it was highlighted that Essential Energy need to raise awareness of what the Yellow Tape around specific poles represents.

The use of Yellow PVC Tape was introduced into Essential Energy’s practices at the start of 2017 to help identify a “Danger Tag” placed on Essential Energy’s Network.

A specific reference to the use of the yellow tape can be found in Essential Energy’s Electrical Safety Rules CEOP8030 – section 4.13.

4.13 Danger Tagging

‘Danger - do not operate’ tags must be attached to the controls of operable electrical apparatus to warn persons against inadvertent or unauthorised operation (that would endanger the safety of persons or the reliability and quality of supply) unless attachment to the controls is impractical. In such instances danger tags must be attached in the next best locations to affect the warning.

Danger tags associated with poles shall be attached using high visibility yellow PVC tape. Multiple danger tags can be applied with a single tape.

Danger tags are also used to secure a customer’s installation in accordance with CEOP2018 – Polarity and Neutral Identification: Testing. ASP’s or CSP’s utilising an alternate industry standard may use alternate methods to secure a customer’s installation.

‘Danger - do not operate’ tags must only be installed, altered or removed by authorised persons.

‘Danger - do not operate’ tags must also be fitted to unserviceable equipment to warn against inadvertent energisation.

Persons shall not remove or alter in any way applied danger tags without consulting the System Operator or person who attached the danger tag.

What do you need to do?

1. Ensure you always look at the most recent version of the Electrical Safety Rules on the Document Library.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

Friendly reminder

As per our communication on 1 June 2020 Essential Energy are requesting that all paperwork is submitted prior to 1 July 2020.

Previous communication

To assist Essential Energy in ensuring that all work completed and commissioned in the 2019-20 financial year is correctly recorded and closed in our systems, we are asking you, where practical, to please send all required paperwork.

We are also requesting that you submit a schedule to rectify all outstanding non-conformances prior to 1 July 2020. If you are unsure of your current outstanding non-conformance status, please contact your local NAF or SNAF (Network Assurance Facilitator).

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, or alternatively contact your local NAF or SNAF.

Background

Following multiple incidents relating to live low voltage (LV) work, including accidents involving actual and potential life-threatening injuries to electrical workers which raise concerns about safe work management of live work, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales (IPART) issued four Safety Alerts during 2019. The three NSW distributors subsequently reviewed their related work practices, controls and the competency of their workers. Some live low voltage work activities were suspended while these reviews were undertaken.

Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) also undertake live low voltage work under the relevant Regulatory provisions for Network Operators, including the NSW framework for Contestable Work (the ASP Scheme Rules).

ASPs undertaking live LV work

Where it is appropriate for an ASP to undertake live low voltage work, you must:

• ensure that appropriate planning processes and procedures are in place to work safety in a live work situation
• have control measures incorporated into live work procedures
• identify live work responsibilities, accountabilities and authority levels of personnel or contractors, and
• ensure that anyone involved in planning or undertaking the work is trained and competent.

What your company needs to do?

• ASPs who undertake contestable work on our network are aware of their legislative obligations regarding live work
• ASPs have reviewed and updated their safe work practices and controls in line with IPART Safety Alerts regarding recent live low voltage work industry incidents, and
• ASP workers who plan and undertake live low voltage work are competent to do so.

If you have not previously accessed Essential Energy Learning Management System. You will need to create a unique user ID (i.e. jsmith) and password as part of your registration through the link above.

If you have any issues with your registration, please email ekas@essentialenergy.com.au.

What do you need to do?

1. The authorisation representative need to complete the confirmation section.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

Changes made to CEOF6013 – Outage, Connection & Work Live LV request from

Following recent incidents of outages extending beyond requested timeframes, Essential Energy has amended form CEOF6013 Request for Planned Outage, Connection or Work Live LV.

The new form will be available in the Document Library from 1 July 2020 and we request that you start using it immediately after that date.

Key changes to CEOF6013 Request for Planned Outage, Connection or Work Live LV are:

• The ASP must provide 5 days’ notice when they intend to work live LV.
• The ASP is to state the Access Permit duration time required to complete the work.
• A detailed description of works must be provided, including work areas and tasks to be undertaken.
• Additional fees will be applied for Access Permits outside of business hours.
• Outlines actions and responsibilities for the ASP when customers are affected by planned outages.
• Switching / commissioning officer has a checklist as a guide to assist with the contestable process.

Please familiarise yourself with the new form and the notes listed on page 2. If you have any questions, please contact your local Network Assurance Facilitator.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above key changes and submit CEOF6013 version 8 from 1 July 2020. The revised CEOF6013 form will be located in the Document Library.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

What is happening?

From 15 August 2020, your employees with Class 1B – Underground Paper Lead and Polymeric and Class 1C – Underground Polymeric only Authorisations must have completed a Cable Jointing Awareness session in order to remain authorised to work on or near our network.

Please ensure that all of your employees who have these authorisations complete an online awareness session prior to that date.

The awareness session is available on Essential Energy Learning Management System. To be able to access this system, you will need to:

• Complete an online registration
  • The registration will require you to create a unique user ID (ie jsmith) and password.
• Email trainingservicesadmin@essentialenergy.com.au to request enrolment in CJA001 (CJ Awareness Session)

If you have any issues with your registration, please email ekas@essentialenergy.com.au.

What do you need to do?

1. Ensure that all employees with 1B and 1C authorisations complete the awareness session prior to 15 August 2020.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

Background

To comply with heightened social distancing and safety practices in our Depots, it is important that all ASPs arrange a specific time to return redundant material from their site. Scheduling an agreed time is necessary to protect the safety of both our ASP partners and our employees.

CEOP2015 - Contestable Work Guidelines (available on the Document Library) details our requirements in the section “Return of redundant materials”. Please ensure that you follow these.

What do you need to do?

1. Ensure that you have contacted the appropriate Depot to arrange a time to return redundant materials.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

From 1 July 2019, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) introduced new regulatory charges for Ancillary Network Services. As an Accredited Service Provider (ASP), Authorised Person (AUP) or Electrical Contractor (EC), you would be aware of the current Ancillary Network Services charges applicable to services you provide to your customers.

The AER has approved the new regulatory charges for Essential Energy’s Ancillary Network Services to be implemented from 1 July 2020.

You can read more about Essential Energy’s pricing for Ancillary Network on our website at: Essential Energy > Our Network > Network Pricing and Regulatory report > Network Pricing.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the 2020-21 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

Further Information

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

To assist Essential Energy in ensuring that all work completed and commissioned in the 2019-20 financial year is correctly recorded and closed in our systems, we are asking you, where practical, to please send us all the required paperwork.

We are also requesting that you submit a schedule to rectify all outstanding non-conformances prior to 1 July 2020. If you are unsure of your current outstanding non-conformance status, please contact your local NAF or SNAF (Network Assurance Facilitator).

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, or alternatively contact your local NAF or SNAF.

What is happening?

Essential Energy is committed to providing customers who wish to install low-voltage embedded generation access to the network where it does not compromise quality, safety and reliability of supply to other network users.

To facilitate this, we have revised our assessment criteria for connection of embedded generators to the low-voltage network.

Effective Monday 15 June 2020 our revised criteria requires that voltage rise on Service Mains is maintained within 1% (in accordance with clauses '1.12.3.4' & '8.6.13' of the NSW Service Installation Rules). This will enable Essential Energy to maintain voltage at the point of connection at 253V.

Exemptions

Application of exemption clause '8.6.13.1' will not be accepted when it results in an increase of voltage on the Service Mains greater than 1%. We will consider exemption where combined voltage in the Consumer Mains and Sub Mains is limited to 2% (as per clause '3.3.3' of AS/NZS4777.1-2016).

Alternative compliance mechanisms may include applicants proposing Service Mains augmentation or imposing export limits to their generator systems in order to maintain the voltage rise within the Service Mains to 1% (as per clause '8.6.3' of the NSW Service Installation Rules, and noting that export limits will not impose a limit on the capacity of generator systems for self-consumption).

At this time, the standing automatic approval for energy export of 5kW per connection point for urban, and 3kW per connection point for rural customers remains in place.

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.

Background

A recent incident occurred while Essential Energy workers where in the process of commissioning a new Tyree Pad Mounted Substation.

After the High Voltage (HV) EFACEC switchgear was energised, field workers were at the Low Voltage (LV) switchgear carrying out phasing tests when they identified unusual voltages.

They returned to the HV switchgear and under access permit conditions carried out investigations and found the pig tails on the fuse holders were jammed into the fuse canisters which had caused the HV fuses to operate

What happens now?

All EFACEC pig tails on the HV fuse holders must be checked prior to commissioning to ensure they are free from obstruction, in a normal designed position and are not jammed into the fuse canister.

Safety Brief 914 - Pig Tail Crush in Fuse Canister of EFACEC Switchgear is being shared for your information and can be accessed from Essential Energy’s Document Library or Essential Engagement .

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