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?

As per Briefing – Connections for Bushfire-Affected Customers, the two-year period to claim this reimbursement has closed.

Reimbursement will apply for any current connection applications but will not apply for any new jobs submitted after Wednesday, 6 April 2022.

Please submit any final claims by Wednesday, 6 April 2022.

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 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. 

What is Happening?

Essential Energy continues to work hand in hand with many ASPs across the flood impacted North Coast, repairing the significantly damaged electricity network and reconnecting power for customers whose properties were inundated with flood water.

The process for customers for reconnection involves three-steps.

1. Arrange for either a licensed electrician or Level 2 Authorised Service Provider (ASP) to inspect property to make sure it is safe.
2. When the inspection is completed, the electrician will log a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) and provide the customer with a CCEW reference number.
3. Call Essential Energy on 13 20 80 to have your power restored.

Where a customer engaged Level 2 ASP performs the reconnection process, they charge the customer for this service. As Essential Energy is waiving the reconnection fee where we perform this service, and to ensure that all customers are treated equally, Essential Energy has offered to reimburse customers who are reconnected by an ASP up to $350 for that reconnection.

Given the trying conditions our customers are facing, Essential Energy will now streamline this process and pay Level 2 ASPs directly for reconnection on behalf of a flood-affected customer once they have completed the reconnection.

How do I arrange payment for customer reconnection work?

Once inspection and the necessary repairs to a premises’ switchboard and internal wiring has occurred, a CCEW provided and reconnection completed by a Level 2 ASP, the following process can be followed for payment:

Submit to Essential Energy via emailing connection.enquiries@essentialenergy.com.au

• An itemised invoice for the reconnection process.
• Copy of the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work.
• Copy of the Notice of Service Works (NOSW) when reconnection at Essential Energy service main.
• Completed new vendor information form.

This process needs to be followed for every individual NMI. There will be one reimbursement for each NMI.

For clarity there are circumstances where ASPs will not receive a payment for each individual unit/complex as there is only 1 NMI connection to Essential Energy network for these sites. Examples of where there is only one reconnection to the network for the below and 1 claim for reimbursement up to $350 are:

• Residential unit complexes
• Caravan parks with private metering
• Commercial complexes with multiple units
• Industrial complexes with multiple units

It is important to note that Essential Energy is funding the cost of reconnection up to $350, and any repairs to the customer’s electrical installation will not be reimbursed. Essential Energy has processes in place to ensure that claims for reconnection costs are not paid where Essential Energy has performed the reconnection.

The Customer Contact Centre will provide a Case Number by return email. Please keep this number as your reference.

The reimbursement will be provided by direct credit to your nominated bank account.

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.

Procedure for bypassing flood-impacted meters and Frequency Injection Relays

All meters and Frequency Injection Relays (FIRs) that have been submerged in water must be bypassed prior to re-energisation. This includes General Supply, Controlled Load Meters and Controlled Load Supply.

Please follow the procedure below to safely bypass meters and Frequency Injection Relays (FIRs) that have been impacted by the 2022 NSW floods. If a situation arises where you are unsure how you should proceed, stop, and call Essential Energy for assistance (see Essential Energy contacts listed on page 4).

Before commencing a bypass

Safety – At all times consider your own and the customer’s safety when bypassing meters. Ensure you have isolated all incoming supplies – even if the network is de-energised – and follow your own safety management systems and safe work methods. No electrical equipment should be assumed to be de-energised after disconnection or isolation. ALWAYS TEST PRIOR TO TOUCHING.

Types of meters – This guide applies to types 4, 5 & 6, whole current meters, and FIRs only. Current Transformer (CT) metering is excluded. Please contact Essential Energy for CT metering.

Assessing the situation – There are many different meter wiring configurations. Carefully check wiring before disconnecting meters. Ensure that you understand the wiring configuration. If you are unsure, call the Essential Energy contacts listed on page 4 to assist you.

A fuse or circuit breaker must never be bypassed. If an SPD or MPD has been damaged, it must be replaced before the meter can be bypassed and the installation re-energised. Do not use solid service fuse elements when reconnecting customers at the SPD/MPD. Essential Energy service mains are not fused at the pole top.

Meter Neutrals - In some installations you may find the main neutral terminates in the meter terminal and there is no Service Neutral Link. This neutral may daisy-chain to other meters, or there may be two or more neutral cables joined together in a meter terminal to supply a neutral to other meters, FIRs or timeclocks. The approved methods noted below can be used to join two or more neutrals together.

Neutral integrity – An open circuit in a neutral can lead to electrocution. If you are not sure of what you need to do, call the contacts listed on page 4 and ask for assistance.

IMPORTANT: Solar systems must be completely isolated if any component has been submerged or damaged. Care must be taken when isolating at the DC isolators, which may still be live, and isolation taken at the rooftop isolator first.

Use one of the following methods to bypass a meter

Method 1 – Insulated 2 screw connector may be used to join 2 or 3 cables together to get domestic and hot water working if there is room behind the board/panel. These will accommodate 2 x 35mm² cables and will not damage the cable as much as an HSC.

Method 2 – House Service Connector (HSC). In situations where the cables cannot be moved into the same terminal and you do not have any insulated 2 screw connectors, a HSC can be used to connect the cable behind the meter panel if there is room.

Method 3 – 4-way underground connector may be used to join 3 or 4 cables together to restore domestic and hot water supply if there is enough room behind the board/panel.

Bypassing Frequency Injection Relays (FIRs)

Remove 4mm or 6mm line side active from 40A single phase relay switch and load side active and twist together and connect with suitably rated single screw BP connector rated at least 20Amps. Put both lower and upper covers back on receiver so no wiring is exposed.

Normal wiring

Bypassed

Advanced multi-element meters

Most retailer-owned meters have more than one element available and may measure general rate, hot water, and solar export in the same meter. If you are unsure of the wiring configuration, do not bypass and call for assistance.

DO NOT USE:

• Line taps and tape. A line tap must not be used to join cables to bypass a meter.
• An IPC used for OH connections must not be used to join cables to bypass a meter.

Labelling switch boards

After bypassing meters and testing the premises, please label the meter and FIR ‘Bypassed’. Isolate and remove load side of CB/RCBO/fuse, install a connector and danger tag or tape any isolated circuits as shown below.

Recording bypassed meters and FIRs

Please record bypass information to ensure Essential Energy has the necessary information to arrange meter and FIR replacement. Once bypasses have been completed and the premises has been thoroughly checked and tested as safe to be energised as per normal procedures:

• Submit a CCEW via Essential Energy’s Secure Web Form (SWF) portal.
• For consistency and clarity, in the Switchboard Particulars field make the following notes:
  • For sites with meters only note ‘ALL METERS BYPASSED’
  • For sites with meters and an FIR note ‘ALL METERs AND FIR BYPASSED’

Re-energisation by Level 2 ASPs following meter and FIR bypasses

When re-energising a premises with flood-impacted meters and FIRs:

1. Ensure that meters and FIRs have been bypassed in accordance with these instructions.
2. Confirm that a CCEW has been submitted and the customer’s electrical system has been thoroughly checked and tested as safe to be energised.
3. Submit a Notification of Service Work (NOSW) through SWF. For consistency and clarity, in the ‘Comments’ field in Section E make the following note:
   1. For sites with meters only note ‘ALL METERS BYPASSED’
   2. For sites with meters and an FIR note ‘ALL METERs AND FIR BYPASSED’

Essential Energy contacts

Please contact Essential Energy contacts for assistance, CT metering and FIR enquiries

• Lismore Hub - Rob Nash, 0437 927 163
• Ballina/Coraki Hub – Billy Holm, 0427 441 556
• Woodburn Hub – Mark Williams, 0408 639 488
• North Coast Regional Coordinator – Darren Butler, 0427 414 068
• Network Assurance Manager – Kevin Miller, 0407 784 701
• Essential Energy General Enquiries – 13 23 91 https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/our-network/floods/flood-reconnecting

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above information and refer to the ASP & Electrical Contractor Briefing.
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 is changing the fees we charge for some Low Voltage Basic Connection Applications. We are providing six weeks’ notice of our first fee change to allow you time to prepare.

Basic Connection Application fee

From 14 March 2022, $123.38 (exc GST) will be charged per offer where a technical review is required.

This will ensure fee consistency for all Basic Connection Offers requiring technical review and recover the cost of assessing these applications from those requiring the work.

How will I know if I am going to be charged?

Basic connections involve minimal or no augmentation of the distribution network and are within the limits outlined below:

A technical review is required when the proposed connection:

• exceeds these limits, and / or
• involves electricity generation (e.g., solar, wind, hydropower) to enable export to the electricity network.

A common application type impacted by this change is a new solar connection application. Please note that customers who include a note in their application that they are willing to voluntarily limit their solar export to 5kW (Urban) or 3kW (Rural) will not incur the fee.

Additional information can be found in our Connecting to the Network Information Pack.

Complex Connection Application fee

Complex Connection Applications can occasionally require a detailed assessment by a Connections Planning Engineer. Later this year, we will introduce a fee to recover the cost of any complex connection application that requires a detailed assessment by a Connections Planning Engineer. We will provide more information prior to this fee introduction.

What do you need to do

1. Accredited Service Providers, Authorised Persons, Electrical Contractors, Solar Retailers and Solar Installers should consider pricing changes when preparing quotations or estimates for customers regarding future connection applications to be submitted on or after 14 March 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?

When reconnecting flood-affected customer premises, please follow the steps below to ensure safe and efficient power supply restoration:

1. Immediately after a successful safety and compliance inspection by a qualified electrical contractor, log a Certificate Compliance Electrical Work (CCEW) via Essential Energy’s Secure Web Forms (SWF) and leave a copy with your customer.

2. A Level 2 ASP must submit a NOSW immediately after reconnecting power to a premises (this will avoid our crews having to re-visit these premises).

3. A Level 2 ASP authorised person can perform the below:

• Class 2A – Reconnect at the connection point only
• Class 2B – Replace the Service Protection Device (SPD) and reenergise customers isolated at the switchboard
• Class 2C – Replace the Service Protection Device (SPD), reenergise customers isolated at the switchboard and reconnect at the connection point and point of common coupling
• Class 2D – can only reenergise as the Service Protection Device (SPD) / Meter Protection Device (MPD)

4. When submitting the NOSW, please make sure that the below fields are entered:

• NMI
• Address
• Postcode
• Connection Application number use 99999 (this will avoid submitting an LV Connection Application).
• Comments field add “CCEW confirmed before reenergised after flooded event”.

5. Flood affected areas will not be charged for submission of CCEW’s and NOSW’s during the flood recovery.

6. Essential Energy will reimburse customers up to $350 who use an ASP to cover the cost of safe reconnection. This reimbursement does not cover costs relating to the safety inspection or repair of damage to a customer’s own electrical equipment.

This advice has also been shared with our customers to help clarify their post-flood reconnection process.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above and Essential Energy’s website at https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/our-network/floods/flood-reconnecting for more information.

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

Further Information

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