Level 1 ASPs

What is happening?

Essential Energy would like to reinforce the accident and incident reporting requirements for all Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) undertaking contestable work on Essential Energy’s network.

Prompt reporting supports effective incident management, regulatory compliance and the safety of workers, customers and the public.

Any accident or incident that occurs while undertaking contestable construction work on Essential Energy’s distribution network must be reported promptly to Essential Energy. This includes injuries, near misses, dangerous incidents, safety breaches, damage to property or network assets, and events that could expose a person to serious risk.

Immediate Response:

1. Stop work and make the area safe without placing any person at further risk.
2. Arrange emergency assistance where required.
3. Preserve the incident site and evidence, except where disturbance is necessary to save a life, relieve suffering, prevent further harm or make the site safe.
4. Notify Essential Energy as soon as possible using one of the reporting channels below.
5. Record the known facts, including the time, location, people involved, work activity, immediate controls and any injuries or damage.

Report to Essential Energy

Report the accident or incident as soon as possible to:

• the appropriate Network Assurance Facilitator
• the ASP Connections Manager, or
• Essential Energy’s Customer Contact Centre on 13 20 80.

Provide the information available immediately. Do not delay the initial notification while waiting for a complete investigation or written report.

ASPs remain responsible for notifying all relevant authorities in accordance with their requirements, including SafeWork NSW, NSW Climate and Energy Action and NSW Fair Trading, where applicable.

A notifiable incident may involve:

• the death of a person;
• a serious injury or illness; or
• a dangerous incident exposing a person to a serious risk, even where no injury occurs.

These requirements can apply to workers, contractors and members of the public.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Review CEOP2015 - Contestable Works Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works) available on the Document Library.

Further Information

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

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-14 - Streetlight Column Footing Requirements is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Andrew Close or Justin Greatz via email.

What is happening?

The Essential Energy Connections virtual forum was held on 21 October 2026, here is a link to supporting slide deck.

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.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-13 - Changes to Neutral Terminal Bars for Substation Poles is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Brett Atkinson or James Baker via email.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-12 - Low Voltage Switchboard Neutral Bar Extension for 750kVA, 1000kVA and 1500kVA Units is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Dave Shephard or Aaron Green via email.

What is Happening?

To minimise disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, we would like to advise you of the following impacts to Essential Energy services:

• No planned outages with a customer impact will be scheduled from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
• Our Contestable Works office will have reduced staff from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. During this period, minimal Essential Connections cases, enquiries, emails and documentation will be processed, and limited asset labels will be issued.
• The Grafton and Wagga Wagga warehouses will be closed from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
  • Standard orders should be submitted by 12 November 2026.
  • Allow additional time for order processing, supplier lead times and warehouse operations due to reduced staffing and increased demand in December and January.

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 techconnect@essentialenergy.com.au.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-11 - Discontinuation of Schneider Flair 21D Fault Indicator Relays is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Dave Shephard or Aaron Green via email.

What is happening?

Essential Energy’s Biannual Connections forum will be held on Wednesday 21 October 2026 via Microsoft Teams. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:

• Safety – what are we seeing
• Network Assurance – what are we seeing and how you can help us
• Protection Settings and Switchboard Reviews
• Transition to composite poles
• Easements and crown land
• Contestable Network Solutions update
• Environmental Impact Assessment transition to easyeia
• Changes to Earthing reports and software
• Update on CEOM7001 – Construction Plan Requirements
• Public Lighting – nomination of road categories
• NSW CER Installer Portal and Backstop rollout
• Introducing CEOP2499 – Customer Installation Guidelines
• Scheme rules review update from the Department of Climate, Energy, the Environment and Water
• Ask us anything Q&A session

We encourage you to participate in this forum. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss our plans and initiatives, and to ask questions or raise issues with Essential Energy team members This includes time allocated for you to ask us anything.

To help us better respond to your questions on the day, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au with the topics or issues you would like addressed.

Note: this is a live session, and a recording will not be shared.

Registration

The forum will be held on Wednesday 21 October 2026 from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon – please click here to register.

What do you need to do?

1. Click on register to 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.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-10 - Double Bolted Neutral Connectors is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Brett Atkinson or Andrew Pratt via email.

What is happening?

Essential Energy has updated two Model Standing Offers (MSOs) for immediate use. The revised documents are now available on Essential Energy’s website.

• CECP2582: Model Standing Offer for Basic Connection, effective 7 September 2026
• CECP2583: Model Standing Offer for Standard Connection, effective 7 September 2026
• Unchanged: CECP2584 Model Standing Offer for Standard Connection (Subdivision), effective 1 July 2024.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Review the updated MSOs on Essential Energy’s website.

Further Information

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