Level 2 ASPs

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, Earthing, how to use the Network Information Portal, as well as updates from Contestable Design and Planning, BetterConnect, Essential Connections and Neara.

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.

Tuesday 23rd May 2023 9:00am – 11:00am Register Here

Tuesday 23rd May 2023 5:00pm – 7.00pm Register Here

A confirmation email will be sent to you with the Zoom meeting 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.
3. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

There are new functions coming for basic connections.

These include notifications, reminders and a collaboration function that will help you do business more easily with Essential Energy.

Essential Connections will replace Secure Web Forms and emails for basic connections activities from mid 2023. What you may of missed and further information is available on Essential Engagement.

With all key activities being done in one system, the basic connections process will be more streamlined and easier to track and manage.

Essential Connections also has automatic notifications and reminders, and a collaboration function to help you work with Essential Energy teams across the life of the connection process. This email explains how these will work.

The diagram below shows the basic connections activities that will be managed in Essential Connections. Notifications and reminders that will be sent out by Essential Connections at different times are also explained below.

Collaboration with Essential Energy through Essential Connections

You may also receive task notifications through Essential Connections if more information is required to complete a request. You will get an email as well as a ‘bell’ icon appearing in the corner of your screen when you log into Essential Connections.

You can complete tasks, including document uploads, and send messages to Essential Energy - all through Essential Connections.

We will show you how this works as part of training, closer to go live.

What do you need to do?

1. Keep reading our emails about basic connections coming into Essential Connections.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this and past communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

New for basic connections: ‘Intent to Connect’.

Last week we communicated that Essential Connections will be replacing Secure Web Forms and emails for basic connections activities from mid 2023.

There will be one new step in the process: ‘Intent to Connect’. Intent to Connect will be the bridge between approved applications and service and/ or electrical works. It will be submitted by the authorised Level 2 ASP or licenced Electrical Contractor doing the works.

More than one Intent to Connect can be submitted for an application. For example:

• Intent to Connect just for Service works (Level 2 ASP works).
• Intent to Connect just for Electrical works.
• Or an Intent to Connect for both types (if you are authorised to do both types of work).

How does this help you?

Nearly all of the information on the Intent to Connect will auto populate from the application. You will be able to see:

• Site details.
• Application offer e.g., Basic & EBG (Embedded Generation).
• Retail customer details.
• Details about the approved installation including load requested, export limit applied by Essential Energy and the model of equipment.
• Any approval conditions (e.g., Switchboard Review, Non-Standard Approval) and whether these are completed.

In the Intent to Connect, you can make minor updates to equipment you intend to use and request a change from Underground to Overhead* if required. (*Note: This will require a Non-Standard Approval).

If the information is correct - that is, you will be undertaking the works as per the approved application - all you need to do is acknowledge this and enter the planned date/s for the work.

In late May, we will share a step-by-step guide and a demonstration video to show you how to ‘Submit an Intent to Connect’.

Intent to Connect will help general connections governance

The Intent to Connect will give Essential Energy visibility of the intended timeframe for works. Essential Connections will send you reminders if the NoSW and/ or CCEW is not submitted after the designated work date you enter in the Intent to Connect.

One more thing! Registrations and access to Essential Connections

Our team is checking that users are correctly registered to use Essential Connections for basic connections. Some things will need to change. For example, users will need to be individually registered. Some accounts may need to change.

You do not need to do anything yet - but please keep an eye out for an email with further information. Emails will only be sent to those who need to take some action. These will be sent over the next coming weeks.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. View this and past communications via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Essential Connections will soon replace Secure Web Forms for basic connections.

From mid-2023, you will submit forms, requests, track progress, and receive notifications to manage your basic customer connections in the Essential Connections portal.

What does it mean for you?

• You will no longer submit the reviews and forms listed above via the Secure Web Forms Portal or email.
• Key forms such as CCEW and NoSW will need to be submitted by the authorised/ licenced installer who is supervising or testing the installation works.
• You will need to be individually registered to use the portal. We will explain your next steps to ensure correct registration in a future email.

New to ‘Essential Connections’? How will it help you?

In mid-2022, Essential Energy introduced ‘Essential Connections’ to improve customer experiences across the end-to-end connections process. Applications and enquiries, standard and major/ HV connections activities are now undertaken in the Essential Connections portal.

The portal has automated many manual processes. It also streamlines connections activities by auto-populating available information and supporting electronic signatures. You can see and track current and past applications and projects and communicate with Essential Energy - all in one place, in Essential Connections.

Once we all get used to Essential Connections (and this will take some time!), your interaction and communication with us should be faster and easier.

Please note that the following will remain in Secure Web Forms:

1. Requests of Service Works (ROSW)
2. Requisition for supply of FIRs

What do you need to do?

1. Keep reading our emails. We will share new information, including:

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.

Changes to the Low Voltage Connections External User Guide.

We have made a change to the structure of the external user guide for low voltage connections. The enquiry, application and design processes were all contained within one large guide.

However, based on your feedback, we have now split these guides to provide a process focus so that customers can find the process specific information they are after rather than having to go through a large guide. We have also created a number of videos for the design related processes and linked them to the new guides. All guides can be found on the support page on our website:Essential Connections Support.

The new guides are:

• Connection Enquiry.
• Connection Application.
• Design Information Application – with videos for the DIA process, how to collaborate with the design team and what to do when a case is moved to Pending Requestor.
• Design Certification - with videos for the design certification process and recertification process, how to collaborate with the design team and what to do when a case is moved to Pending Requestor.
• Non-Standard Approvals.
• Easements.
• Asset Labels.

Essential Connections Invoice Reference Number (EEI-xxxxxxxxxxxxxx).

Customers that are paying for an invoice out of Essential Connections have experienced an issue with not having the ability to copy and paste the invoice reference number from the body of the email. As a result, we have now amended the automated email that goes out with the invoice to include the EEI reference number which can be copied and pasted into the portal.

Searching for an ECN Number when you are not the owner of the application case.

Earlier this year several customers that were not the owner of the application case, when they tried to search in Essential Connections using the ECN nothing was returned in the search. We have made an update to the system that now resolves this issue, and anyone can search using the ECN number (note, the search will only return cases that your business owns under that ECN).

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.

Essential Connections Portal Maintenance from 10:00am this Friday 10th February - 07:00am 13th February 2023.

Essential Energy will be performing maintenance on the Essential Connections portal from 10:00am Friday 10th February 2023 to 7:00am Monday 13th February 2023. During this time, applications and enquiries will not be able to be submitted. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Requesting a DIA for a Major Connection Project

With the launch of our Major Connections functionality in the Essential Connections portal a few weeks ago we have also introduced a new pathway for submitting a Design Information Application (DIA) request relating to these Major Connections projects. A DIA request requires an ECN number and an application case number, so we have created a new application type called the ‘Major Connection Contestable Works Project application’. The application takes less than 5 minutes to complete, auto-approves and has no fee attached so you can get your application case number and ECN immediately and proceed to your DIA request.

As part of the application process, we ask for you to enter the ECN number from the Major Connections process so please make sure you get this from the proponent of the Major Connection (or whoever submitted the Detailed Enquiry). The system will not let you proceed if the ECN you select isn’t related to a major connection. Additionally, a DIA can only be requested for a Major Connection when our connections planning team determine that the project has proceeded sufficiently to inform an accurate DIA request. If you try to submit this application and are unable to proceed, please check the ECN number with the connection proponent or ask them to contact their connection co-ordinator.

We have also developed a guide to help you navigate this new connection application which can be found Essential Connections Support.

Load Requirements in Application Form

We have received a few enquiries from customers around whether the ‘Required Load’ fields in our low voltage connection application forms for existing connections require the total load or only the new load required. For these fields you need to enter the total required load following the proposed connection (i.e. existing load plus new load). Our Essential Connections Support-Registered User Guide has been updated to make this requirement clearer.

User Nicknames

You would have noticed that on some of the communications sent from the Essential Energy portal your ‘name’ has been a random 20-digit number. We have recently updated the system to use your ‘first name, last name’ instead of the random number.

What do you need to do?

• Review the guide to help navigate this new application.
• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
• View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Using List Views to Help You Manage All Your Cases in Essential Connections.

List views are used in Essential Connections to list out your cases and projects to make it easier for you to manage all your cases. There are two list views that you see on your homepage every time you log into Essential Connections – My Submitted Cases and My Projects.

Not all the columns for these list views are displayed on the Homepage – to view all the columns press the ‘View All’ button at the bottom of the list view on your Homepage. We have included a number of different bits of information, such as NMI, address and customer surname, in these list views to help you manage your jobs.

New List View in Essential Connections to Help You Manage All Cases Submitted by your Organisation.

We have now created a new list view for all users called ‘My Business Cases’. This list view will allow you to see all the cases submitted by anyone in your organisation. It includes the same information as My Submitted Cases with an additional column called Submitted by Contact to allow for visibility of all cases submitted by any employee in your business.

We have also written an article that is available on our website that steps you through how to find this new view or any of the other views available - Essential Connections Support.

What do you need to do?

• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
• Access our Essential Connections Support to view our list view guide.
• View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

Following an organisational restructure effective from 9th January 2023, Hamish Wheatley will be leading our ASP team as ASP Connections Manager, and your point of contact. He can be contacted via email: hamish.wheatley@essentialenergy.com.au.

This will allow Hamish to provide support to the ASP relationship team while we transition to a customer friendly connections process Hamish Wheatley brings both a technical background as well as experience in providing customer focused outcomes

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?

ASP Forums were held via zoom in November and December 2022, we appreciate that your business is your number one priority and that you may not have been able to attend. As such, a recording of one of the sessions is available on Essential Engagement

What do you need to do?

Watch the Recording of the ASP November/December 2022 Forum.

Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

View this communication via Essential Engagement

Further Information

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

Planning Assessment Enquiry

This week we are releasing a new Planning Assessment Enquiry process which effectively replaces the old ‘feasibility DIP’ process. The Planning Assessment Enquiry process is to be used by customers where they would like a formal assessment from our planning team to identify potential network augmentation needs on a project to help inform whether the project should proceed to a formal connection application. Fees apply for this service.

For further information on this service and for information on how to apply please refer to our Planning Assessment Enquiry knowledge article on Essential Support.

Note that the Planning Assessment Enquiry does not give you a binding connection offer and you will still be required to submit a connection application if you want to proceed with the connection.

Standard Auto Approval fee change

The new Essential Connections portal has allowed for a more efficient approval process, an automated approval and offer creation. One example of this is the new Subdivision application where augmentation is known and accepted upfront.

Our existing fee structure has not accounted for this change, a new fee will be added in the next regulatory period. In the interim Essential Energy have made a decision to change the fee charged for a Standard offer where it has been auto approved, to the Connection offer service - Basic fee.

This change will be implemented in the system on 1st December, automatically. You will see the new amount in your invoice from this date.

For more information on Ancillary Network Service fees visit our website, Pricing Schedule for Ancillary Network Services.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above and make your customers aware.
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