Level 2 ASPs

What is happening?

Essential Energy would like to reinforce the accident and incident reporting requirements for all Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) undertaking contestable work on Essential Energy’s network.

Prompt reporting supports effective incident management, regulatory compliance and the safety of workers, customers and the public.

Any accident or incident that occurs while undertaking contestable construction work on Essential Energy’s distribution network must be reported promptly to Essential Energy. This includes injuries, near misses, dangerous incidents, safety breaches, damage to property or network assets, and events that could expose a person to serious risk.

Immediate Response:

1. Stop work and make the area safe without placing any person at further risk.
2. Arrange emergency assistance where required.
3. Preserve the incident site and evidence, except where disturbance is necessary to save a life, relieve suffering, prevent further harm or make the site safe.
4. Notify Essential Energy as soon as possible using one of the reporting channels below.
5. Record the known facts, including the time, location, people involved, work activity, immediate controls and any injuries or damage.

Report to Essential Energy

Report the accident or incident as soon as possible to:

• the appropriate Network Assurance Facilitator
• the ASP Connections Manager, or
• Essential Energy’s Customer Contact Centre on 13 20 80.

Provide the information available immediately. Do not delay the initial notification while waiting for a complete investigation or written report.

ASPs remain responsible for notifying all relevant authorities in accordance with their requirements, including SafeWork NSW, NSW Climate and Energy Action and NSW Fair Trading, where applicable.

A notifiable incident may involve:

• the death of a person;
• a serious injury or illness; or
• a dangerous incident exposing a person to a serious risk, even where no injury occurs.

These requirements can apply to workers, contractors and members of the public.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Review CEOP2015 - Contestable Works Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works) available on the Document Library.

Further Information

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

What is happening?

From 1 January 2027, Essential Energy will commence charging Ancillary Network Service (ANS) for protection settings advice and switchboard reviews. These fees will recover the cost of providing these specialist engineering services.

For a combined switchboard rated above 100 A, the services include:

• Protection settings (R3a): 1 hour
• Switchboard review (R2a): 2 hours

The invoice for both services will be generated after the protection settings have been issued and before the switchboard review is completed.

Note: This change was previously communicated as part of the annual ANS change overview commencing on 1 October 2026 and has been extended to 1 January 2027.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Refer to the current Price Schedule for Ancillary Network Services available on the Essential Energy website.
3. Consider these charges when preparing future quotes for customers where protection settings advice and/or switchboard reviews are required.
4. View this communication via Essential Engagement.

Further Information

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

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-14 - Streetlight Column Footing Requirements is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Andrew Close or Justin Greatz via email.

What is happening?

The Essential Energy Connections virtual forum was held on 21 October 2026, here is a link to supporting slide deck.

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?

Essential Energy has published a new Division Procedure: CEOP2499 Customer Installation Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Customer Installations), providing Electrical Contractors, including solar installers, with a single source for customer installation and connection requirements on Essential Energy’s network.

It consolidates installation obligations, Consumer Energy Resources (CER), testing and commissioning requirements, support pathways and related guidance.

Industry stakeholders should use CEOP2499 Customer Installation Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Customer Installations) alongside existing Essential Energy procedures when undertaking customer installation and connection activities.

Level 2 Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) should read CEOP2499 Customer Installation Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Customer Installations) in conjunction with CEOP2015 Contestable Works Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works), as both procedures contain requirements relevant to customer connection and contestable works activities.

What do you need to do?

1. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
2. Review CEOP2499 Customer Installation Guidelines (Terms and Conditions for Customer Installations) on the Document Library and ensure affected personnel understand the requirements applicable to their work activities.
3. Review any associated support materials, guidance documents and support resources referenced throughout the procedure.

Further Information

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

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-13 - Changes to Neutral Terminal Bars for Substation Poles is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Brett Atkinson or James Baker via email.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-12 - Low Voltage Switchboard Neutral Bar Extension for 750kVA, 1000kVA and 1500kVA Units is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Dave Shephard or Aaron Green via email.

What is Happening?

To minimise disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, we would like to advise you of the following impacts to Essential Energy services:

• No planned outages with a customer impact will be scheduled from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
• Our Contestable Works office will have reduced staff from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. During this period, minimal Essential Connections cases, enquiries, emails and documentation will be processed, and limited asset labels will be issued.
• The Grafton and Wagga Wagga warehouses will be closed from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
  • Standard orders should be submitted by 12 November 2026.
  • Allow additional time for order processing, supplier lead times and warehouse operations due to reduced staffing and increased demand in December and January.

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, please email techconnect@essentialenergy.com.au.

Construction News Engineering

The latest issue of Essential Energy Construction News 26-11 - Discontinuation of Schneider Flair 21D Fault Indicator Relays is now available, click here to view.

What do you need to do?

1. Please read and familiarise yourself with the content.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. View this communications via Essential Engagement under Construction News.

Further Information

If you need further information, please contact Dave Shephard or Aaron Green via email.

What is happening?

From November 2026, solar businesses must use the NSW CER Installer Portal for new and upgraded rooftop solar and home battery installations. The Emergency Backstop Mechanism will also begin rolling out in selected NSW postcodes.

To help industry prepare, the NSW Government and NSW electricity networks will host a webinar on Wednesday 14 October 2026, from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm. Click here to register.

What do you need to do?

1. Register for the webinar.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
3. Visit the DCCEWW website for more information.

Further Information

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