Accredited Services Providers (ASPs) must hold the appropriate accreditation for projects that involve paper insulated lead covered cables.

The ASP company accreditation with the Office of Energy and Climate Change must indicate Category 1B for projects incorporating paper insulated lead covered cables.

ASPs without the appropriate company accreditation are not allowed to commence construction.

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.

What’s happening?

Secure Web Forms (SWF) will be unavailable on Wednesday, 29 November from 4pm till 7pm for necessary system maintenance.

This will also impact our Essential Connection Portal and you will be unable to submit a Notice of Service Works (NOSW) during this timeframe. We apologise for any inconvenience.

If you experience any other issues with Essential Connection during this time, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What do you need to do?

1. Please log out of Secure Web Forms prior to 4pm on Wednesday, 29 November 2023.
2. Do not submit any NOSW during the system maintenance.
3. 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?

We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to allow customer information to be shared with ASPs and other external parties without the need for prior customer approval.

What are the benefits?

ASPs can consult directly with impacted customers in their early planning stages for work and associated outages including generator request, to pro-actively address any concerns or potential issues.

How can I obtain customer information?

• Requests for information should be submitted on your behalf either by:
  • the Essential Energy employee managing your outage request, or
  • the Network Assurance Facilitator you’re working with.
• Please ensure your request includes all ASP or other third-party contact details, including name, email address, contact phone number, business name and relevant Network Access Request (NAR) or work details.
• We’ll send the requested customer information via email.

What do you need to do?

Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please visit Essential Energy’s website: https://engage.essentialenergy.com.au/privacy, or email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

REMINDER:

Essential Energy strictly prohibits non-electrically qualified personnel authorised under Class 1X as Competent Assistants and Plant Operators from engaging in construction and installation of electricity network infrastructure.

Only appropriately qualified personnel who hold relevant 1A, 1B or 1C authorisation issued by Essential Energy can undertake the installation and construction of electricity network infrastructure.

Class 1X Competent Assistants and Plant Operators can provide assistance to the appropriately qualified personnel with the below tasks:

• conduit and duct installation
• underground cable hauling
• hard cover and soft tap installation
• pole and streetlight erection and removal.

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.

What is Happening?

Essential Energy’s November ASP engagement forums will be held via Zoom. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:

• Safety
• Standards – Updates to the overhead and underground manuals, as well as Construction News and transitioning to composite poles
• Contestable Design – CEOM7001 Construction Plan Requirements, New Earthing Guide and tips for Neara
• Improvements to surveyor’s advice
• Updates to our easement policies
• Essential Connections –the platform, upcoming construction and commissioning roll out, next steps for CEOP2015 Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works (Guidelines) and process changes.

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

Dates and Times

A confirmation email will be sent to you with the Zoom meeting link 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.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

To minimise the disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, no planned interruptions with a customer impact will be scheduled from 18 December 2023 to the 1 January 2024 and will resume on 2 January 2024.  

We will have limited resources to undertake Contestable Works during the same period with business resuming as normal from 2 January 2024.  Essential Connections will still be available for submissions; however, limited resources will be available to process requests.

What do you need to do?

1. Review your planned interruption schedule for the dates above and work with your nominated Local Depot Switching Resource to reschedule where required.
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?

The following Essential Energy policies have been updated to reflect legislative changes, a general review of easement requirements and changes in easement document processing:

• CEOF9091 – Submission of Easement Documents includes the ECN or Case Number
• CEOF6274b – Creation of Easement Customer Deed includes electronic signature provisions
• CEOF6274c – Creation of Easement Landowner Deed includes electronic signature provisions
• CEOF6496 – Operational Form – Creation of Easements for Services refers to the Essential Connections Portal
• CERM8046.01 – Execution of easement documentation procedure guide reflects the new Essential Connections process
• CEOP8046 – Easement Requirements has various and significant amendments, including:
  • requirement to lodge easement documents via the Essential Connections Portal
  • removal of Clauses 5.2.2 e & d
  • removal of clause 5.5
  • amendment of Clause 5.2.2 to provide that easements are required irrespective of land size
  • inclusion of easement dimensions for a 33kv elongated pad mounted substation
  • updated landowner consent form requirements, and
  • removal of outdated references.

Please refer to each of the above documents to review the changes. Please also note that while CEOF6274b & CEOF6274c have been updated and are available for use, it is Essential Energy’s preference that CEOF6274f - Agreement for Creation of Easement is used where possible.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Update your templates via the Document Library.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

Essential Energy’s November ASP engagement forums will be held via Zoom. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:

• Safety
• Standards – Updates to the overhead and underground manuals, as well as Construction News and transitioning to composite poles
• Contestable Design – CEOM7001 Construction Plan Requirements, New Earthing Guide and tips for Neara
• Improvements to surveyor’s advice
• Updates to our easement policies
• Essential Connections –the platform, upcoming construction and commissioning roll out, next steps for CEOP2015 Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works (Guidelines) and process changes.

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

Dates and Times

A confirmation email will be sent to you with the Zoom meeting link 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.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

Essential Energy recognises the importance of incorporating management strategies crucial to mitigating the risk and impact of bush fire on the community and ensures that the effects of its work activities on bushfires are minimised and comply with the relevant legislation.

In response to past bush fire events which resulted in a devastating loss of life and property, the NSW Government introduced legislative changes to ensure bushfire matters are considered in the development and maintenance processes within our industry. At present, all new development on bush fire prone land must comply with Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 which sets out the basis for all bushfire planning and bushfire protection measures.

The spring 2023 bushfire outlook issued by the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) emphasises the need for immediate community and business preparedness. Australia's climate has changed since last spring, with a transition to higher temperatures and lower rainfall predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology. This shift follows years of above average rainfall during La Nina seasons.

Be Prepared

Each of us should have a bushfire survival plan in place and be ready, even if the time never comes. Download the Hazards Near Me app and be notified when fires occur within your area.

There may be a requirement for Essential Energy to review and possibly suspend requested outages in certain situations if bushfires hazards are severe.

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.

What is happening?

Essential Energy is no longer providing Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) with sealing pliers and seals.

ASPs can procure their own sealing equipment directly from suppliers. Consequently, Essential Energy will no longer be responsible for overseeing the supply of sealing equipment (which includes sealing pliers provided by Essential Energy and currently in the possession of ASPs).

What options do ASPs have?

For an ASP that has paid a security deposit for sealing pliers supplied by Essential Energy (pliers procured by HARCOR), Essential Energy requires the ASP to either:

Return those sealing pliers to Essential Energy before 30 June 2024, and Essential Energy will provide a refund* of the security deposit paid by the ASP in respect of those sealing pliers.

Sealing Plier Return Postal Address

Network Authorisations

Essential Energy

122 Queen Street Grafton NSW 2460

Please provide bank account details for security deposit refund.

OR

Advise Essential Energy that the ASP wishes to keep the Essential Energy supplied sealing pliers, and Essential Energy will retain the ASP’s security deposit as payment for the sealing pliers.

*For an ASP to receive a refund of their security deposit from Essential Energy, the sealing pliers must be returned to Essential Energy in a sound useable condition with all dies present (as per Essential Energy’s Operational Procedure: Electrical Inspection: Distribution and Maintenance of Sealing Pliers and Security Seals (CEOP2031) can be downloaded from Essential Energy Document Library.

Any ASP who does not return their sealing pliers supplied by Essential Energy before June 30 2024 will forfeit their security deposit paid to Essential Energy, and the sealing pliers in the ASP’s possession will transfer to the ASP’s ownership and be at the ASPs risk.

What isn’t changing?

Please note that the requirement to seal components of an electrical installation remain unchanged, and ASPs need to ensure the sealing of installations are compliant as per the relevant rules and regulations (including ensuring sealing equipment is of quality and die numbers are clearly visible on the seal). Essential Energy will continue to record sealing plier numbers (of the sealing pliers ASPs own or use) as part of an ASP’s authorisation, and details of those sealing pliers are to be provided by the ASP on the appropriate authorisation form.

What do you need to do?

Please share this communication with relevant people in your organisation.

Further Information

For any assistance or enquires regarding this new process please contact the network authorisations team via email authorisations@essentialenergy.com.au.