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You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
Certification Audit Tool
Essential Energy have developed a Certification Audit Tool to support a more consistent, transparent, and efficient approach to reviewing design submissions as part of the certification process. The tool provides customers and reviewers a structured, repeatable method for assessing design compliance.
The Certification Audit Tool is available on the Essential Connections Support Page and can be accessed by searching “Audit” or by following the link.
The Certification Audit Tool is currently under development and refinement. Version v1.0 has been prepared to support initial use and feedback.
The tool will be used in its current format for project assessment; however, no score will be generated. Assessment records will be used to carefully calibrate the tool to ensure that scoring for each project is an accurate representation of the design submissions received. When scoring functionality has been enabled, an updated version of the tool will be provided.
What do you need to do?
- Download a copy of the Certification Audit Tool from the Essential Connections Support Page.
- Incorporate the use of this tool into your Quality Assurance processes for all current and future contestable designs.
- Provide any feedback via email to aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au.
- 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.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy has been advised by the ASP Scheme (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water) will be introducing a new Accredited Service Provider (ASP) online Platform effective from the 16 March 2026.
What you need to do?
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For more information, please refer to the website.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
Further Information
If you need further information, please email asp.scheme@planning.nsw.gov.au.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
What is happening?
Essential Energy has introduced CECG6923 - Safety in Design Guidelines for Contestable Works, establishing the minimum requirements for applying Safety in Design processes in all contestable design activities completed on Essential Energy’s network. The guideline has been developed to support designers in implementing their Safety in Design obligations under legislative requirements.
The guideline is available on Essential Energy’s Document Library. A Safety in Design Register template has also been developed and is available on the Essential Connections Support Page and can be accessed by searching “Safety in Design” or by following the link.
The guideline provides designers with a structured, lifecycle‑focused approach to identifying, assessing, and managing hazards associated with electrical infrastructure design. It outlines Safety in Design principles and methodologies, duty holder responsibilities under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025.
These guidelines should now be applied to all contestable designs. Designers shall ensure risks are eliminated, or where elimination is not reasonably practicable, minimised so far as is reasonably practicable, and incorporated into the design process and documentation.
The following documents are required as part of a design submission:
- A Safe Design Report
- A Safety in Design Risk Register
These guidelines reinforce the legislative responsibilities of designers, clarify Essential Energy expectations, and promote safer outcomes across construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of assets. Accredited Service Providers may either utilise the Safety in Design Risk Register template provided or ensure that their own Safety in Design processes and documentation meet, at a minimum, the requirements specified in this guideline.
From 1 May 2026, the minimum requirements outlined in the guidelines will be assessed by Essential Energy during the design review.
What do you need to do?
- Review CECG6923 - Safety in Design Guidelines for Contestable Works via the Document Library.
- Apply the Safety in Design process and documentation requirements to all current and future contestable designs.
- Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
- Ensure all design submissions include the required Safe Design Report and Risk Register.
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.
You cannot leave comment in this blogpost unless you are a part of the project panel.
Community Consultation Guideline
To provide greater clarity around community consultation obligations during the design phase, Essential Energy has developed a new guideline for Accredited Service Providers (ASPs). This guideline outlines the minimum requirements for notifying adjoining landowners of proposed modifications to the electricity network during the design phase of a project.
The guideline is available on the Essential Connections Support page and can be accessed by searching “Consultation” or by following the link below.
Community Consultation During Design
These requirements reinforce the legislative responsibilities of designers and clearly set out Essential Energy’s expectations for community consultation.
From 1 April 2026, the minimum consultation requirements outlined in the guideline will be assessed as part of the design certification review process.
What do you need to do?
- Review the guideline and download a copy of Appendix A.
- Ensure the consultation process, including all required documentation, is applied across all current and future contestable designs.
- 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?
We would like to remind you to use the latest version of the standardised construction schedule template for each project you undertake, you can find this on the Essential Connections Support page. The current version at time of publication is v1.4.14.
It is important that the information you enter into the construction schedule is accurate and to a high quality to ensure the assets are correctly created within Essential Connections. The construction schedule also creates the data capture and test forms that are used in the construction phase of the project.
Construction Schedule tips
When completing the construction schedule, please follow the guides on the instructions page. To help us process submissions more swiftly, please make sure you:
- Refer to the instructions within CEOM7001 Construction Plan Requirements, which articulates the requirements of each schedule
- Use drop-down boxes when available
- Enter alphanumeric characters, numbers, or free text as per the instructions page
- Start at the top of the sheet – do not leave blank rows above your assets
- One asset per line
- Avoid the use of forward slashes
- Use the add row/insert tool, do not manually add rows to a schedule
- Validate the schedule using the construction schedules tab “Validate Schedule”
- Ensure correct ECN project number and Design Submission Case number are populated. Please ensure you include all leading zeros in the design submission case number.
What do you need to do?
- Download the latest version (1.4.14) of the standardised construction schedule template from the Essential Connections support page.
- Submit your completed spreadsheet with every design submission.
- 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?
Essential Energy will be hosting an opt-in information session for ASPs to talk through the changes to CEOM7098 Distribution Underground Design and Construction Manual communicated in Construction New 26-01 published on 12 February 2026.
Prior to this session, we would like to provide further clarification.
- There will be a transition period for the adoption of the cable de-rating calculation approach stipulated in CEOM7098 Distribution Underground Design and Construction Manual.
- Essential Energy will provide target high voltage cable de-rating factors for designers to achieve in their designs as part of the Design Information Pack for each project. If a designer is unable to meet the target de-rating factor during the design phase they should contact Essential Energy for assistance.
- New design submissions will be required to include cable de-rating calculations so that cable derating information can be accurately captured, ensuring the Essential Energy Network can be efficiently operated and maintained.
- Timeframe for including cable de-rating factors in Design Information Packs and conducting cable de-rating calculation in new design submissions will be communicated in the coming weeks.
If you construct, connect to, or design our underground network we encourage you to attend this session, ask questions and raise any concerns with the team.
Registration
The CEOM7098 Distribution Underground Design and Construction Manual information session will be held on Thursday 5 March 2026 from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm. – please click here to register.
What do you need to do?
- Register to reserve your spot.
- Review the document, on the Document Library.
- 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's New?
Whats new - June 2025 (378 KB) (pdf)