What is Happening?

In the interest of maintaining a safe and compliant network, Essential Energy would like to formally notify Accredited Service Providers (ASP) our intention when addressing significant incidents or instances of non-compliance.

Incidents that necessitate an investigation or implementation of disciplinary or corrective action, Essential Energy retains the authority to temporarily suspend the company’s authorisation.

Essential Energy will initiate a prior notification and engage in discussions with the ASP before proceeding with the suspension. This allows for a constructive dialogue and an opportunity for the ASP to address any concerns raised during the investigation process.

Upon issuing the suspension notice the ASP is expected to comply immediately upon receiving the notice of suspension and cease all work on or near Essential Energy's network until further notice. For Level 1 ASP they cannot engage the services of other level 1 ASPs or authorised person(s) to conduct contestable work.

To seek reinstatement of their authorisation, the ASP can apply in writing once they have rectified the identified issues and fulfilled all requirements specified in Essential Energy's notice. This application should include supporting evidence demonstrating the resolution of the concerns that led to the suspension.

Continued failure to comply with Essential Energy guidelines will result in an extended suspension and a formal request to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for an ASP regrade.

Essential Energy is committed to fostering a collaborative relationship with its ASPs and endeavours to ensure that all work performed on or near its network adheres to the highest standards of safety and compliance. The suspension process is designed to promote accountability and encourage prompt corrective action to maintain a reliable and safe network.

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?

As of now Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) do not have to authorise sub-contractor(s) under their company if the sub-contractor(s) holds a current network authorisation with Essential Energy.

The ASP can engage the services of any authorised person(s) with the appropriate authorisation classification to perform contestable work. The ASP must ensure sub-contractor(s) are appropriately qualified, trained and authorised for the category of work being performed.

Person(s) will only be authorised under the ASP listed on the authorisation application form.

The ASP must still register all sub-contractor(s) under their accreditation with the NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change.

Submission of Project Specific Documentation:

When project specific documentation needs to be submitted, such as network asset testing and commissioning CEOF5125 forms, sub-contractor(s) must be registered and authorised under the principal ASP for the project.

This is a requirement for when projects commence in Essential Connections, it’s necessary so sub-contractor(s) can access the relevant project case(s) in Essential Connections and submit project specific documentation.

When applying for sub-contractor authorisation, please tick the sub-contractor box on the authorisation application form and provide another email address not previously supplied for authorisation.

What do you need to do?

Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

Essential Energy will be transforming the Accredited Service Providers (ASP) induction process for new applicants seeking to be authorised to work on or near the network.

We will be introducing a Network Familiarisation Session for Authorisation via an online learning platform which can be performed anytime once the applicant meets the conditions to be authorised.

Applicants already enrolled to attend an upcoming ASP induction will be notified and provided instructions on how to commence the new Network Familiarisation Session.

The applicant applying for authorisation must be the person who completes the Network Familiarisation Session for Authorisation. Estimated time to complete the Network Familiarisation Session is 1 hour which includes a technical assessment for electrically qualified applicants.

How it will work:

1. A link will be emailed to the applicant with instructions on how to login and commence the network familiarisation session.
2. The applicant is to review and understand the network familiarisation learner material and then undertake the technical assessment.
3. Once the technical assessment is completed, our network authorisations team will receive a completion notification and process your authorisation.

Please note: The login link expires after (1) month if not actioned.

What do you need to do?

1. Please ensure all required information is provided, as per the checklist on the CEOF6203 Authorisation Application form.
2. Please ensure the applicants email address on the authorisation application form is correct.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of 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 or phone 02 6643 7850.

Basic connections information and help sessions are ending soon.

This week’s information & help zoom sessions are below. Sessions are 45 mins long – but you can just ask a quick question/ stay as long as you choose.

Click the ‘Register here’ link for the session that suits you. Tip! Save into your calendar or note down the joining details (Meeting ID and passcode).

All Notice of Arrangement (NOA) applications can now be made in Essential Connections.

If you are applying for a NOA where the development is part of a contestable works project, you can request this via our Essential Connections portal as a registered user in 2 ways:

1. Click on the 'Manage My Standard Connection Projects (L3 and L1 ASP works)' button on your homepage and then click the 'Request Notice of Arrangement' button.
2. Your Level 1 ASP can request a NoA by clicking on the ‘Request Notice of Arrangement’ button within their construction case.

All other NOAs: You will need to submit a Connection Application: Subdivision – Residential and Commercial via the Essential Connections portal making sure you select ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Requesting Notice of Arrangement’.

More information about NOA and guides to show you what to do Click Here.

Basic Connections video guides and step-by-step guides.

Links to Video guides and step-by-step guides for all key basic connections activities in Essential Connections are below.

More help options:

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

What do you need to do?

1. Please use the self-help materials.
2. Ensure you are registered to use Essential Connections Registration.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Basic connections information and help sessions are ending soon.

This week’s information & help zoom sessions are below. Sessions are 45 mins long – but you can just ask a quick question/ stay as long as you choose.

Click the ‘Register here’ link for the session that suits you. Tip! Save into your calendar or note down the joining details (Meeting ID and passcode).

All Notice of Arrangement (NOA) applications can now be made in Essential Connections.

If you are applying for a NOA where the development is part of a contestable works project, you can request this via our Essential Connections portal as a registered user in 2 ways:

1. Click on the 'Manage My Standard Connection Projects (L3 and L1 ASP works)' button on your homepage and then click the 'Request Notice of Arrangement' button.
2. Your Level 1 ASP can request a NoA by clicking on the ‘Request Notice of Arrangement’ button within their construction case.

All other NOAs: You will need to submit a Connection Application: Subdivision – Residential and Commercial via the Essential Connections portal making sure you select ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Requesting Notice of Arrangement’.

More information about NOA and guides to show you what to do Click Here.

Basic Connections video guides and step-by-step guides.

Links to Video guides and step-by-step guides for all key basic connections activities in Essential Connections are below.

More help options:

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

What do you need to do?

1. Please use the self-help materials.
2. Ensure you are registered to use Essential Connections Registration.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Basic Connections Information sessions and help available:

We’re working to improve Essential Connections for you.

• We have added a ‘Submit Intent to Connect’ button to completed Application Cases to make this even faster. The button is underneath the Application Case details.
• Click the button to launch the Intent to Connect form.
• You will not need to enter the ECN or Application case number when you launch an ITC from the Application case.

Coming soon: We are changing permissions to allow company admins to submit Intents to Connect (ITCs) for work completed by their company.

This week’s information & help zoom sessions.

Scheduled information and help zoom sessions are below. You can register to join any session. Click the ‘Register here’ link for the session that suits you. Tip! Save into your calendar or note down the joining details (Meeting ID and passcode).

Links to Video guides and step-by-step guides for all key basic connections activities in Essential Connections are below.

More help options:

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

What do you need to do?

1. Please use the self-help materials.
2. Ensure you are registered to use Essential Connections Registration.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

​

Reminder! Secure Web Forms closes for CCEWs and NOSWs at 5pm on Monday 3 July 2023.

Submission of CCEWs and NOSWs is fee-free in Essential Connections until 5pm Monday 3 July 2023.

• You will need to submit an Intent to Connect before you can submit a CCEW/NOSW, where there is a Connection Application offer.

What’s going on? My past cases have a status of “Pending ITC” (Intent to Connect)

When basic connections came into Essential Connections, the status of past applications changed to ‘Pending ITC’. This is the system working as expected but because it does not link back to Secure Web Forms, it does not recognise that any CCEWs or NOSWs have already been submitted.

If you have already submitted CCEWs and or NOSWs for past applications, you don’t need to do anything. We will apply a fix in the background to rectify this soon.

Scheduled information and help zoom sessions are below. You can register to join any session. Click the ‘Register here’ link for the session that suits you. Tip! Save into your calendar or note down the joining details (Meeting ID and passcode).

Links to Video guides and step-by-step guides for all key basic connections activities in Essential Connections are below.

More help options:

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

What do you need to do?

1. Please use the self-help materials.
2. Ensure you are registered to use Essential Connections Registration.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Basic Connections is now live in Essential Connections. Here's what's available to help you.

Basic Connections video guides and step-by-step guides.

Links to Video guides and step-by-step guides for all key basic connections activities in Essential Connections are below.

Scheduled information and help zoom sessions are below. You can register to join any session. Click the ‘Register here’ link for the session that suits you. Tip! Save into your calendar or note down the joining details (Meeting ID and passcode).

At our recent forums, you asked for a session on what is changing in version 9 of CEOP2015 – Contestable Works Guidelines, due to be published on 1 July 2023.

We’re offering an optional session on 22 June 2023 from 10.30am – 12.00 noon.

If you would like to attend, you can click below to register, enter your details and add the invitation to your calendar:

Register Here

What do you need to do?

1. Click on ‘Register now’ and add your details to attend the information session.
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?

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.