Level 2 ASPs

UPDATE ON:

• Potential risks to the operation of Essential Energy’s electricity network from protected industrial action planned by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU)
• Steps we are taking to mitigate the impact for our more than 875,000 customers across rural and regional NSW and parts of southern QLD.

Potential industrial action

Following approval by the Fair Work Commission of the ETU’s application for a Protected Action Ballot Order, a ballot of ETU members on whether they approve the taking of industrial action closed on 4 November 2021, with members voting in favour of industrial action.

On 11 November 2021, Essential Energy received notices from the ETU of their intention to take industrial action effective from 17 November 2021. The ETU notification cited twenty different actions that may be taken, including a one-hour and 15-minute stoppage from 9:00-10:16am on 17 November 2021.

In addition to the defined work stoppage there are a range of other indefinite or periodic bans in place. These include limitations on:

• Travelling outside normal working hours.
• Use of a specified range of information technology programs and applications.
• Certifying and inspecting Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) designs and projects.
• Verification of life support customers for planned outages.
• Field staff switching – meaning that power will not be switched off, preventing certain planned works from going ahead.

The ETU industrial action notice also includes a number of indefinite actions requesting that employees undertake a range of communications activities including distributing ETU/CEPU industrial campaign-related material to members of the public and Essential Energy staff; and employees providing their views concerning industrial action with members of the community and media.

Some of the cited actions include a Safety Commitment, whereby relevant employees will be ready, willing and able to perform unplanned work that, if not performed imminently, would create a serious and imminent threat to human life.

It is regrettable that the ETU’s proposed industrial action coincides with the early phase of bushfire season and threatens to extend through the peak summer period. It also comes as our rural and regional communities seek to recover from the detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Steps to mitigate network risks

Essential Energy has developed plans designed to ease the impact of industrial action for our residential and business customers, with the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and regional communities the priority. We have reprioritised planned work to ensure urgent and critical work can be performed and to mitigate the risk of fault and emergency work not being responded to in a timely and safe manner. We do expect unavoidable disruptions which could adversely impact the network and the time taken to restore power to customers during an unplanned outage.

Enterprise Agreement negotiations

The industrial action by the ETU comes after months of negotiations on Essential Energy’s 2021 Enterprise Agreement. The ETU and other unions continue to pursue more than 50 individual claims which, if fully implemented, would increase costs by more than 10 per cent.

Essential Energy’s offer to employees includes a 7.5% increase to wages and allowances over the next three years, plus a 0.75% increase through improvements to conditions. The offer includes no loss of employment conditions, with every element representing an overall improvement on the conditions in the 2018 Agreement. The combined unions have rejected this offer.

Last month employees participated in an enterprise agreement ballot. 75 per cent of employees who voted in the ballot rejected the offer. We have reiterated to the unions our intention to provide fair and reasonable outcomes for our employees, customers and shareholders under the Enterprise Agreement. Essential Energy remains committed to ensuring a modern Enterprise Agreement that reflects the needs of employees while meeting our communities’ expectations for a safe, reliable and affordable supply of electricity and will continue to bargain in good faith with the ETU and other unions to achieve an acceptable outcome.

As we enter this uncertain period, please be assured that the safety of our customers, employees, ASPs, contractors and the wider community remains the number one priority for Essential Energy and we will be working to mitigate the impact of the ETU’s planned industrial action where we can. We will continue to update you on relevant developments as they occur.

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?

With easing of COVID-19 restrictions in NSW, refresher training is returning to normal and Essential Energy’s temporary three-month grace period for refresher training will no longer apply.

From 1 December 2021, evidence will be required of completed Unit of Competency’s (UOCs), inclusive of the practical component delivered by approved Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).

What do you need to do?

• Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
• View this communication via Essential Engagement at Essential Engagement

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

Following an organisational restructure effective from 1 November 2021, David Wilson will be returning to our ASP team as Manager Distribution Connections, and your point of contact. He can be contacted via email: david.wilson@essentialenergy.com.au.

Hamish Wheatley has moved from ASP Connections and Quality and is now our Public Lighting and Unmetered Supply Manager.

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 or support, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

To minimise the disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, no planned interruptions with a customer impact will be scheduled from 20 December 2021 to 6 January 2022.  

Also Contestable Works will be closed during the same period with business resuming as normal from 4 January 2022. 

Minimal processing of emails/documentation or Asset Labels will occur from Contestable Works mailbox during the above mentioned period.

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 or support, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.

What is Happening?

In December 2020, Standards Australia released a new version of AS/NZS 4777.2 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters Part 2: Inverter requirements (AS/NZS 4777.2:2020).

The update included a range of changes to:

• improve inverter performance on the electricity network, and
• support increased adoption of solar Photovoltaic (PV), batteries and electric vehicles.

From 18 December 2021, amendments to the National Electricity Rules (NER) will require all grid connected inverters to comply with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020. Inverter manufacturers have been working to update their products to meet 2020 certification compliance and listing with the Clean Energy Council.

When do I need to start installing AS/NZS 4777.2 compliant inverters?

You can apply for a connection with an AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 inverter already. However, from 18 December 2021 it will be mandatory to apply for and install an AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 inverter.

When is the last date I can apply to install a 2015 compliant inverter?

Please submit applications to install an inverter that complies with AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 by Friday, 12 November 2021 to ensure you receive a connection offer by 18 December. We cannot guarantee that applications received after this date would receive a connection offer by 18 December.

Please also check that applications submitted by 12 November are correct and complete. This will avoid delays that could prevent Essential Energy completing our assessments by 18 December.

If I have a valid contract in place for a 2015 compliant inverter before the 18 December, can I install after the 18 December?

Yes. However, AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 compliant inverters installed from 18 December 2021 will not be eligible to receive STCs under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). For more information see the Clean Energy Regulator’s Website News item - Changes to Inverter Standard - AS/NZS 4777.2:2020.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the information above and ensure that any connection applications for an AS/NZS 4777.2:2015 compliant inverter are submitted prior to 12 November 2021.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further information

Further information can be found on the Clean Energy Council and Energy Networks Australia Website.

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, our BetterConnect project, Encroachments, Network GIS access, Design and Certification updates, Service Installation Review, Standards, and the Neara design tool.

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, 23 November 2021 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
• Session 2: Thursday, 25 November 2021 from 11:00am to 1:00pm
• Session 3: Wednesday, 1 December 2021 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.

Further Information

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

What is Happening?

As a Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP), Essential Energy is required to operate a certified Asset Management System to ISO 55001 requirements.

A key component of certification is our Asset Management Policy Statement, which underpins our Asset Management System. This Statement:

• describe the principles that shape our approach to asset management, and
• represent our commitment to achieving the best outcomes from all of our assets.

What do you need to do?

1. Review CECP1004 – Asset Management Policy Statement located on our Document Library.
2. Note where the policy may apply to the work you do as part of the Asset Management System.
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?

The Electrical Safety Rules CEOP8030 provide an unambiguous and uniform set of safe work requirements (rules) to all persons - employees, Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) and Contract Service Providers (CSPs) working on or near the Essential Energy electricity network.

The Electrical Safety Rules (ESR’s) are revised from time-to-time to reflect the outcomes of incident investigations, audits, safety briefs, policy and procedure updates, organisational changes and industry developments - including new technologies.

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) has completed a significant review and update of CEOP8030 Electrical Safety Rules that is now published on the Document Library as Issue 18.

There are no major policy or procedural changes in this update, but there are numerous minor changes and additions. All changes are summarised in the Revisions section at the end of the document and a yellow highlighted copy is available on Workplace, from the ESO or from your local Network Assurance Officer (NAF).

What do you need to do?

1. Download and review Safety Brief – SB-992_ASP CEOP8030 Electrical Safety Rules Issue 18 located on the Document Library and Essential Engagement.
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 Electrical Safety Office has recently Undertaken a review of CEOP8050 Working Above, Below or Adjacent to Energised Conductors.

This policy has been provided to ASPs as an awareness and can be used to review and consider as part of your own safety system.

The updated CEOP8050 – Working Above, Below or Adjacent to Energised Conductors is available within the Document Library.

What do you need to do?

1. Download and review Safety Brief SB-991 CEOP8050 Working above, below or adjacent to energised conductors update located on the Document Library and Essential Engagement.
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 has formed a new, dedicated Connection Planning team to undertake technical assessment of low voltage connections applications. This will ensure we deliver consistent application of our Connection Policy requirements and improved technical support.

Key Connection Policy requirements

Essential Energy’s Connection Policy CEOP2513.06 is the determining document for capital contributions. It details the Urban and Rural thresholds for customer-funded and Essential Energy contributions for low voltage connections to our network.

In all cases, customers are responsible for funding connections requiring a dedicated high or low voltage network extension.

Essential Energy will only fund augmentation to the existing shared network where a low voltage connection is below the Urban or Rural thresholds described in CEOP2513.06.

Connection applicants, electrical contractors, Accredited Service Providers and consultants acting on behalf of connection applicants should make themselves familiar with the funding arrangements within the Policy.

The Connection Policy can be accessed from the Essential Energy's website by all customers connecting to the Essential Energy network.

What do you need to do?

1. Review Essential Energy Connection Policy CEOP2513.06 located on Essential Energy’s website.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

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