You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
A new version of the CEOP2015 Contestable Works Guidelines, Terms and Conditions for Contestable Works, Issue 14 dated October 2025, is now available in the Document Library. This update incorporates the release of the Level 3 ASP Authorisation Framework, as well as amendments and updates based on feedback from ASPs and internal stakeholders.
Please refer to Section 7.0 Revisions for a summary of changes, noting that the document has been reviewed in full and updated to enhance clarity and to reflect current processes.
While many suggestions have been incorporated, some recommendations from ASPs and internal reviewers could not be included in this version. These items have been logged for further exploration and any agreed-upon or approved revisions will be included in the next update.
What do you need to do?
- Download the latest version of CEOP2015 from the Document Library.
- Review the document in its entirety.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
For further information
If you need further information, please email techconnect@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
From 1 July 2026, Level 3 ASP companies or entities will be required to enter into a Level 3 Authorisation Agreement with Essential Energy to continue to undertake contestable design work on our electricity distribution network. This is in addition to individual authorisation.
For more information, click here to view the Level 3 ASP Authorisation Agreement Fact Sheet.
What do you need to do?
Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about this, please email techconnect@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy’s Biannual Connections forum will be held on Thursday 6 November 2025 via Microsoft Teams. In this round, we’ll be covering a range of topics including:
- Safety
- Network defects
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Underground standards
- Cable joint quality of workmanship
- CEOM7098 Underground Design Manual Update
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Public light products
- Supply issues and alternatives on the Approved Materials List
- Introducing smart lighting products
- Changes to the Contestable Network Solutions team
- Update on Crown Lands
- Underground Design in NEARA
- Update on Level 3 Authorisation agreement
- Update from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Ask us anything Q&A session.
We encourage you to participate in this forum. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss our plans and initiatives, and to ask questions or raise issues with Essential Energy team members This includes time allocated for you to ask us anything.
To help us better respond to your questions on the day, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au with the topics or issues you would like addressed.
Note: this is a live session, and a recording will not be shared.
Registration
The forum will be held on Thursday 6 November 2025 from 10.00am to 1.00 pm – please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Click on register to reserve your spot.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Our ASP Relations team will now be managing the process for reserving and sending asset labels. All enquiries in relation to asset labels should be directed to contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
All processes will remain unchanged in the Essential Connections Portal.
However, this transition may result in initial delays in sending out asset labels. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
For urgent requests, please contact the ASP Relations team by calling 13 23 91 and selecting Option 2 or by via email to contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
What do you need to do?
- Review the above and ensure all asset label enquires are sent via email to contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email contestableworks@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is Happening?
To minimise disruption to customers during the Christmas / New Year period, we’ll cease scheduling planned outages with a customer impact from 19 December 2025 until 4 January 2026.
Our Contestable Works office will also be closed from 19 December 2025, with business resuming as normal from 5 January 2026. During this period, minimal Essential Connections Portal cases/enquires/emails/documentation or Asset Labels will be processed.
What do you need to do?
- Review your planned interruption schedule for the dates above and work with your nominated Local Depot Switching Resource to reschedule where required.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
Updates to our Contestable Network Solutions leadership team:
Tom Bollard is our Contestable Design Manager. His Contestable Design team continues to support all Design Information Application, Design Submission and Notice of Arrangement Cases.
Daniel Welsh is our Contestable Planning and Assessment Manager. His Contestable Planning and Assessment team supports all Connection Applications, Connection Enquiries and detailed planning technical assessments.
Glenn Leman is our Connection Experience Manager. His Connection Experience team is a point of contact for connecting customers and help to ensure they have all the information they need to navigate the connections process.
Click on our support page for contact details.
Escalation process
As a reminder, if you are facing challenges with your connection project, please ensure you follow the following approach.
- Contact your Design and Certification Officer with the initial request for help.
- The Design and Certification Officers will brief their Team Leader who will attempt to resolve the matter.
- If needed, the Team Leader will raise it with the Contestable Design Manager, who will seek to determine a path forward that is acceptable to all parties.
- If your customer wishes to speak to somebody at Essential Energy to understand any requirements for a project, please advise the Certification Officer, who will ask the Connection Experience team to help co-ordinate a meeting.
What do you need to do?
- Review the above and ensure you update your contacts in email and phone.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email techconnect@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Our External Sales Team is available Monday to Friday between 7:30am and 4:00pm to help you order the materials you need for your Essential Energy projects. We aim to respond to all enquiries within two business days. Here’s how we can help:
- Need a current price list: Let us know and we’ll be happy to provide it
- Purchasing materials for approved ECN projects through External Sales: Email us at external.sales@essentialenergy.com.au and we’ll send you a quotation. Orders will be processed once an ECN project number has been provided
- Order collection and lead times: Purchase orders can be collected from our Grafton or Wagga Wagga warehouses. Current lead times are around 4 weeks from the date of order, although this may vary for direct delivery items or special orders.
- Items not on Approved Material List (AML): If you need materials that don’t appear on the current price list or AML, please reach out to us at external.sales@essentialenergy.com.au. We’ll be happy to review your request and see how we can help.
-
As a reminder: Please ensure you provide the Essential Energy items numbers you require to ensure we can provide your quote.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like more information.
What do you need to do?
Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email external.sales@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What's happening?
Essential Energy wishes to inform all ASPs that the Commercial Services Team will have periods of limited availability from Monday, 22 September 2025, through Friday, 26 September 2025, due to scheduled travel commitments. As a result, there may be delays in responses from both the Network Assurance Team and the TechConnect Team during this period.
Please be assured that this will not affect any planned outages. We appreciate your understanding and patience as our teams collaborate to further enhance service delivery for our ASPs and customers.
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
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
In February, the NSW Government advised solar energy businesses that it was developing a Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Installer Portal, which will support the Emergency Backstop Mechanism in NSW by making it easier for installers to comply with new obligations.
Solar businesses and industry associations have asked the NSW Government and NSW DNSPs (Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy) to ensure that industry advice has been considered when developing the NSW CER Installer Portal.
You can Click here to find updates on:
- industry engagement during portal development
- current project status, and
- a program of support and training we’re developing to help you prepare for these changes.
What do you need to do?
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
- Find additional details regarding the Emergency Backstop Mechanism and the CER Install Portal on the DCCEWW website
- View this communication via Essential Engagement.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email future.networks@essentialenergy.com.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
Essential Energy sent out a satisfaction survey invitation on Thursday 4th September (subject: Annual ASP/EC Satisfaction Survey Your Feedback Needed) to gather feedback on our connections services.
Thank you to those who have already completed the survey - your feedback is greatly appreciated and will help us improve our services.
This survey focuses on your experience with the Connections Portal, Connections Process, our communication, and overall ease of doing business with Essential Energy.
Your feedback is valuable in helping us identify what's working well and areas where we can improve our services to better support your business needs.
The survey takes approximately 4-6 minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. We encourage you to provide honest feedback to help us enhance our service delivery.
What do you need to do?
- Complete the customer satisfaction survey if you haven't already check your email for the invitation sent Thursday 4th September
- Provide honest feedback about your experience over the past 12 months
- Share this reminder with relevant members of your organisation who interact with Essential Energy's connections services and may have received the survey invitation
- View this communication via Essential Engagement
Further Information
If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au
What's New?
Whats new - June 2025 (378 KB) (pdf)