Level 1 ASPs

Weekly Update on Essential Connections

Please find attached the Essential Connections overview presented during the weekly update session. If you missed out or would like to revisit any of the information, click on the Essential Connections Information Session to view the recording and the ASP information session presentation.

The next session will be as follows:

Here is a reminder of the Zoom link: Join Zoom Meeting.

Readiness Survey

Our readiness survey helps us to understand how confident you are feeling in using the new system and ways of working. If you have not had a chance to complete, please access readiness survey it takes 2 minutes to complete.

This will help us to make your experience as smooth as possible and tailor our approach to your needs so that you feel supported throughout the process.

Training

To support you in using Essential Connections, we’ve organised training sessions that you can attend. The first sessions are targeted at L3 ASPs. We’ll schedule additional sessions for L3 and L1 ASPs and will communicate these shortly.

These sessions run for one hour and will cover the following:

• Accessing and logging on to the portal
• Overview of the external portal
• Overview of system functionality, tips and tricks to navigate the system including case creation and management

Transition to Essential Connections

Before we go live with undertaking Design and Construction processes in Essential Connections, we will undertake a series of activities during a period called ‘cutover’. This is where we prepare to transition from the Design Portal (used by Level 3 ASPs) to the new Essential Connections Portal.

During this period there are some key dates when we need to complete or stop doing activities in the Design Portal. At present we are aiming to commence our transition into the new Essential Connections Portal from 5pm, Wednesday 21 September until 9am on Tuesday, 27 September. During this time, you will be unable to submit any documentation or work within the Design Portal.

These are the key dates and activities from 14 September that you need to be aware of:

Note: Previously submitted design enquiries are visible in the new Essential Connections Portal

This table outlines cutover arrangements for other activities from 20 September:

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above information
2. Complete the readiness survey
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?

Essential Energy has recently brought together our Contestable Design and Distribution Connections Planning teams under our Contestable Network Solutions Manager.

What are the benefits?

This will improve customer experience and reduce assessment timeframes through:

1. A dedicated manager for distribution connections, who will support teams, streamline processes, and proactively promote great customer service
2. A single point of contact for managing distribution-related design phase escalations
3. Faster network planning decisions, based on current and short-term state of the network.

Escalation process

If you have a complaint or enquiry, please follow the Contestable Work’s escalation process.

1. Contact the Design and Certification Officer with the initial request to escalate an issue
2. The Design and Certification Officers will instruct the Team Leader to call you.
3. If the Team Leader cannot resolve the issue, Glenn Leman will make a call.
4. If Glenn needs to escalate, he will brief Paul Thompson.
5. Paul Thompson will call to discuss the issue and aim to resolve it.
6. If you remain dissatisfied, David Shepherd (Group Head Network Investment and Maintenance) will make a final determination.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above and ensure you update your contacts in email and phone.
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

Access our Essential Connections information sessions

Thanks to those of you who attended the information session on Essential Connections, If you missed out, or would like to revisit any of the information, you can click on Essential Connections Information Session to view the session recording and the ASP information session presentation.

Our next session will take place on Wednesday 7th September 8:30 am - 9:30 am and focus on the following:

We’ll continue to walk through the end-to-end process and key changes in subsequent sessions.

Here is a reminder of the Zoom link: Join Zoom Meeting.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the overview presentation and watch the session recording by clicking on the Essential Connections Information Session.
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 is working to improve customer experiences across the end-to-end connections process by upgrading technology and improving processes. Improvements include the new Essential Connections self-service portal, which will be live from Monday 6 June 2022.

All Low Voltage (LV) connection enquiries and applications are to be created and submitted through the new portal from Monday 6 June 2022.

All High Voltage (HV) enquiries, applications, design, construction, testing and quality assurance processes will be transitioned to Essential Connections in future phases of the project.

Changes from the current Low Voltage enquiry and application forms

The new Essential Connections portal will be your one-stop-shop for all your enquiries and applications.

The portal will automate many manual processes. It will also integrate with other systems to provide data from organisations such as Spatial Services NSW (address validation and auto-population of lot/DP) and the Clean Energy Council (inverter and battery lists) to help you complete your applications.

Other exciting changes coming with the release of Essential Connections include:

• new and more targeted application categories, such as load only, generation only, load and generation, temporary builders supply, unmetered supply and asset relocation
• email/SMS notifications for job progress (no more calling Essential Energy for updates)
• electronic signature for Connection Offer acceptance (no more printing and signing)
• standard connections are automatically approved
• easy-to-use online payment gateway for upfront payments
• knowledge articles on the Essential Energy website to help you use and understand the new portal.

Getting ready for Monday 6 June 2022

Read only access to Connections web portal from Wednesday 1 June to Monday 6 June (no applications can be submitted from midday Wednesday 1 June).

From midday Wednesday 1 June, connection enquiries and applications will no longer be submitted via the Connections web portal, while we switch over to the new Essential Connections portal, which is scheduled to be released on Monday 6 June.

Registered users will still be able to log in with read only access to view applications previously submitted.

Activating your Essential Connections account for Level 1 & 2 ASPs and ECs (Level 3 ASPs will use that same access as the BetterConnect portal)

Before you can access the Essential Connections portal and submit enquiries and applications, you will need to activate your account.

On Sunday 5 June, you will receive a welcome email from our secure access management provider OKTA with a link through to the essential connections portal

Note: Solar Retailers need to self-register via the Essential Energy website to use the new Essential Connections portal. Registration will be available on Monday 6 June.

Introduction of fees and upfront payment

The Essential Connections portal enables Essential Energy to charge for Ancillary Network Services (ANS) fees, as required by the Australian Energy Regulator. Up until now, we have not charged for some of these fees, as our systems did not support such charging. To find out more, read introduction of new fees and upfront payment on Essential Engagement.

We previously communicated that ANS fees and upfront payment were scheduled to be charged from Monday 16 May. The new date is 6 June, to align with the release of the Essential Connections portal.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above, watch the video by click on Essential Connections Portal preview and look out for your activation email on 5 June 2022.
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 AER has approved Essential Energy’s new regulatory charges for Ancillary Network Services from 1 July 2022.

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 2022.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the 2022-23 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?

The first release of the Essential Connections portal for Low Voltage (LV) enquiries and applications, scheduled for Monday 16 Monday, has been delayed.

Due to unforeseen technical issues outside of Essential Energy’s control we will not be able to release the new portal on 16 May as planned.

Please continue to submit all LV connection enquiries and applications through the existing enquiry and connections portals available on the Connecting to the Network page on our website.

It is expected at this stage that the release of the portal will be delayed until June 2022

We will keep you informed and will be able to share more accurate information on the revised date in the coming weeks.

Introduction of fees and upfront payment

We previously communicated that the introduction of Ancillary Network Services (ANS) fees and upfront payments were scheduled to be charged from Monday 16 May. These fees will also be delayed to align with the release of the new Essential Connections portal.

What do you need to do?

1. 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 working to improve customer experiences across the end-to-end connections process by upgrading technology and improving processes. Improvements include the new Essential Connections self-service portal, which we are targeting for Monday,16 May 2022.

All Low Voltage (LV) connection enquiries and applications are to be created and submitted through the new portal from 16 May 2022.

All High Voltage (HV) enquiries, applications, design, construction, testing and quality assurance processes will be transitioned to Essential Connections in future phases of the project.

Changes from the current Low Voltage enquiry and application forms

The new Essential Connections portal will be your one-stop-shop for all your enquiries and applications.

The portal will automate many manual processes. It will also integrate with other systems to provide data from organisations such as Spatial Services NSW (address validation and auto-population of lot/DP) and the Clean Energy Council (inverter and battery lists) to help you complete your applications.

Other exciting changes coming with the release of Essential Connections include:

• new and more targeted application categories, such as load only, generation only, load and generation, temporary builders supply, unmetered supply and asset relocation
• email/SMS notifications for job progress (no more calling Essential Energy for updates)
• electronic signature for Connection Offer acceptance (no more printing and signing)
• standard connections are automatically approved
• easy-to-use online payment gateway for upfront payments
• knowledge articles on the Essential Energy website to help you use and understand the new portal.

Getting ready for 16 May 2022

Read only access to Connections web portal from 11 May to 16 May (no applications can be submitted)

From midday 11 May, connection enquiries and applications will no longer be submitted via the Connections web portal, while we switch over to the new Essential Connections portal, which is scheduled to be released on 16 May.

Registered users will still be able to log in with read only access to view applications previously submitted.

Activating your Essential Connections account for Level 1 & 2 ASPs and ECs (Level 3 ASPs will use that same access as the BetterConnect portal)

Before you can access the Essential Connections portal and submit enquiries and applications, you will need to activate your account.

On Sunday 15 May, you will receive a welcome email from our secure access management provider OKTA with a link through to the essential connections portal

Note: Solar Retailers need to self-register via the Essential Energy website to use the new Essential Connections portal. Registration will be available on 16 May.

Introduction of fees and upfront payment

The Essential Connections portal enables Essential Energy to charge for Ancillary Network Services (ANS) fees, as required by the Australian Energy Regulator. Up until now, we have not charged for some of these fees, as our systems did not support such charging. To find out more, read introduction of new fees and upfront payment on Essential Engagement.

We previously communicated that ANS fees and upfront payment were scheduled to be charged from Monday 2 May. The new date is 16 May, to align with the release of the Essential Connections portal.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above, watch the video by click on Essential Connections Portal preview and look out for your activation email on 15th May 2022.
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?

Our new Essential Connections self-service portal – the latest stage of our end-to-end connections process improvements – will go live soon. We are working through several activities to get everyone ready and plan to commence transition to the new portal in the first week of May.

When we go live, you will be able to create and submit all low voltage (LV) connection enquiries and applications through the new portal.

All High Voltage (HV) connection enquires, applications, design, construction, testing and quality assurance processes will be transitioned to Essential Connections in future stages of the project.

See image below for stages of the Essential Connections rollout:

What is changing?

As we deliver new enhancements, many of our manual processes will be automated through Essential Connections. The self-service portal will ensure that:

• Information only needs to be submitted once
• Jobs are accessible in one system
• Requests can be submitted electronically (using different device types)
• Email and SMS notifications will alert you when you need to do something, such as provide additional information or accept a connection offer.

What are the benefits?

• Visibility of all your jobs within one portal
• Electronic signature for Connection Offer acceptance
• Easy-to-use online payment gateway for upfront payments
• Proactive notifications for job progress (no more calling Essential Energy for updates)
• Updated information and knowledge articles available on the Essential Energy website to help you use the new portal.

Activating your Essential Connections account

Before you can access Essential Connections and submit enquiries and applications, you will need to activate your account. We will share more detailed information on activating your account in our next communication.

Introduction of fees and upfront payment

The Essential Connections portal enables Essential Energy to charge for Ancillary Network Services fees as required by the Australian Energy Regulator. Until now, we have not charged for some of these fees, as our systems did not support such charging. To find out more, visit Essential Engagement.

When will you hear from us next?

We will update you with further information on the status of how we are progressing with the transition plan of Essential Connections and activating your account in our next communication on 26 April.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

For further information about the Essential Connections portal, 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, Standards update, Digital Twin update, our BetterConnect project and Connections Changes, and Supply Chain update.

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.

Dates and times

Click on one of the options below to reserve your preferred session (all sessions will have the same content).

• Session 1: Tuesday, 26 April 2022 from 11:00am to 01:00pm
• Session 2: Wednesday, 27 April 2022 from 05:00pm to 07:00pm
• Session 3: Thursday, 28 April 2022 from 09:00am to 11:00am

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

What do you need to do?

1. Select the session date above and reserve your spot to attend one of our forums.
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?

Essential Energy will be introducing fees for some Low Voltage Connection Applications. From 2 May 2022, new charges will be applied to certain services where we are required by Australian Energy Regulator (AER) to charge for these services. These charges include:

• Fees for connection enquiries based on the estimated effort to complete (noting not all enquiries will be charged a fee)
• Additional fees to some connection applications where detailed engineering assessments (1% of applications) or power quality studies are required (0.1% of all applications a year)
• Incomplete information fee applied to applications that are submitted without the required information or attachments/supporting information included.
• We are continuing the transition to upfront payments of high volume and low value ANS charges.

The fees can be found in the table below:

The above table of Ancillary Network Service and Amounts are as per the Price Schedule for Ancillary Network Services 1 July 2021. These Network Service changes will move to upfront payment via the secure online payment gateway. 

“User Pays” Principle 

These fees cover the costs of services that we already provide and are expected to charge for under our agreement with the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). 

Under the Regulatory Framework, we need to recover those costs from the specific customers requiring the service.  

What do you need to do? 

1. Accredited Service Providers, Authorised Persons and Electrical Contractors should consider pricing changes when preparing quotations for customers regarding future work. 
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation. 

Further Information 

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