Level 3 ASPs

What is Happening?

Essential Energy is providing access to Network layouts and asset data for all our customers to help enable:

• Instant access to a range of overhead and underground network data
• Visibility of network routes with multiple base map functionality
• Supporting customers to self-serve the information they require and make informed choices.

Background

Access to Essential Energy’s Network layouts and associated data has been requested by numerous customers and organisations over the years. Specifically, there has been an ongoing need to enable self-service network information to Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) and Electrical Contractors (ECs) performing contestable works across the Essential Energy network. The NSW Independent Bushfire Enquiry also requires visibility of critical assets whereby “Fires Near Me” can be overlaid to enable real time risk mitigation.

What is it?

Access to the Network Information Portal will be available via Essential Energy’s Website. Upon accepting the Terms and Conditions you can simply start drilling into our network with standard search features. Specific network information is obtained by clicking on the asset to enable the creation of an email request. A demonstration video is available on our website showing how to navigate the portal and find/request the information you need.

Benefits

The Network Information Portal will help enable customers to make more informed choices whilst reducing internal workload that has traditionally serviced this need. Councils and other government organisations will benefit such as enabling desktop planning through to network visibility for critical asset protection.

The self-serve functionality provides ASPs and ECs with access to data such as pole, cable and conductor data, as well as network routes, enabling better informed customer conversations and reducing enquiries.

What happens next?

Following the Stage 1 Pilot programme, Stage 2 will provide additional enhancements and functionality which will be communicated once complete.

What do you need to do?

1. Watch the demonstration video and visit Network Information Portal via Essential Energy’s Website and start exploring our network.
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 the COVID situation continues to evolve, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued assistance to help by complying with NSW Health requirements as well as supporting Essential Energy in our COVID response.

ASPs travelling from Greater Sydney to work on Essential Energy's network must adhere to the NSW Government’s current COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

Before you commence work on our network, you must provide evidence on site that the NSW Health requirements have been met.

If evidence of the requirements is not provided, Essential Energy has the right to cancel the outage.

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?

In the most recent update to the Standard Contestable (Approved) Material List CEOM7004, a number of items have been removed. CLAH (Current Limiting Arcing Horns) surge arresters have been discontinued by the manufacturer and following a review of their requirement, CLAH surge arresters are to be withdrawn from Essential Energy Covered Conductor Thick (CCT) constructions.

Other associated equipment used in conjunction with CLAH surge arresters will also be withdrawn. The CCT construction drawings in Section CEOM7303 of the Overhead Construction Manual have been updated to reflect the changes.

The Standard Contestable (Approved) Material List CEOM7004 has also been updated and the associated material has been removed. For all other updates please make yourself familiar with Issue 55 of the AML.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above construction drawings and the AML on the Document Library.
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?

To enable Essential Energy to transition to a new, upgraded financial system in mid-August 2021, we need to pause the issuing of invoices from Essential Energy between 21 July and 16 August 2021.

Invoices will recommence on 16 August 2021 with Essential Energy’s new bank account details and will be sent via your company’s nominated email address listed in our system. To ensure we have the correct email address for your company, please email accounts.receivable@essentialenergy.com.au with your company name and preferred email address.

What do you need to do?

1. Email accounts.receivable@essentialenergy.com.au with your company name and preferred email address.
2. Ensure your Essential Energy’s new bank details are updated in your system from 16 August 2021 (new details can be found on invoices issued from this date).
3. All invoices will pause between 21 July 2021 and 16 August 2021.
4. 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?

To enable Essential Energy to transition to a new, upgraded financial system in mid-August 2021, we need to pause External Sales quotations and orders between 10 July 2021 and 16 August 2021.

No External Sales orders or quotations will be processed during this period.

What do you need to do?

1. Please ensure your jobs and required orders are planned ahead to cover a minimum four-week period.
2. All orders covering this period must be submitted by Friday, 9 July 2021.
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?

We are implementing the next enhancement to Neara, to improve Digital Asset Management capability and your user experience.

We’re offering you a free, three-hour online Zoom training session on the latest enhancement in Neara – Underground Construction. A walk through of a detailed example will also be provided.

Please see Neara Underground Module fact sheet for further details on this enhancement available on Essential Engagement.

Training dates options

Click on one of the options below to reserve your preferred session. A confirmation email will be sent to you with Zoom meeting details.

1. Friday 18 June 2021am: 9.00am – 11:30am, or
2. Tuesday 22 June 2021: 9.00am – 11.30am, or
   
3. Tuesday 22 June 2021: 1.00pm – 3.30pm

Prior to the sessions, training materials will be available from Essential Engagement.

Neara Automated Checklist

Following on from our recent Neara training sessions on Automated Checks, the Neara Automated Checks Checklist will be available soon and April’s training session are now available on Essential Energy's Document Library and Essential Engagement.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the Neara Underground Module fact sheet.
2. Select session date above and reserve your spot to attend a Neara Underground Construction training.
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.
4. Review training recordings (which will also be made available on above links) following sessions for future reference.

Further Information

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

What is happening?

After some recent incidents and inquiries from the ASP forums Essential Energy would like to inform Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) of their responsibilities

• Part 3 of the Electricity Supply Act 1995 (the Act), Section 31A, a person who provides contestable network services must be accredited, in accordance with the Electricity Supply (Safety and Network Management) Regulation 2014, to provide those services (an ASP).
• The NSW Accredited Service Provider (ASP) Scheme Rules (Scheme Rules) details the requirements for a Company/Business to be accredited and a worker to be registered under a Company/Business accreditation.
• Once an individual and or company (Business) is accredited as an ASP, any person engaged to carry out contestable work on behalf of that ASP must be:
  • Registered with the ASP Scheme, and
  • Authorised by the relevant local distributor to perform contestable network service.

Accreditation is not transferable. Therefore, if an ASP changes to operate under a new ACN, the new company will be required to make a new application to be accredited under the ASP Scheme.

All ASPs are required to register with the Scheme any personnel who will be performing work on or near existing electricity network on behalf of the ASP and for which the ASP is accredited.

An ASP must notify the Scheme of changes in staff. Personnel, including employees and sub-contractors, will not be able to be authorised by the local electricity distributor until they have been registered by the Scheme.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above and ensure all workers are registered and authorised before undertaking contestable works.
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 regulator mounting platform assembly Cat No 115526 item 3 bracket below has been changed to improve the bolted connection design.

The HV regulator construction drawings in Section CEOM7104 of the Overhead Construction Manual have been updated for this change and use 4 x M24 kingbolts in place of the previously used threaded rod to attach the brackets to the pole.

The latest construction drawings are now available on Essential Energy’s Document Library.

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?

The AER has approved Essential Energy’s new regulatory charges for Ancillary Network Services from 1 July 2021.

As an Accredited Service Provider (ASP), Authorised Person (AUP) or Electrical Contractor (EC), please use the new charges applicable to the services you provide when preparing quotations for work to be undertaken after 30 June 2021.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the 2021-22 Pricing Schedules for Ancillary Network Services available on the Essential Energy website
2. Accredited Service Providers, Authorised Persons and Electrical Contractors should consider pricing changes when preparing quotations for customers regarding future work
3. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further information

You can read more about Essential Energy’s Ancillary Network Services pricing on our website at: Essential Energy > Our Network > Network Pricing and Regulatory report > Network.

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

What is happening?

From 24 May 2021, all new low voltage customer switchboards with ratings of more than 100A per phase must comply with AS/NZ 61439.

Non-compliant submissions for Essential Energy review of switchboards more than 100A will be returned for revision.

To ensure your compliance and avoid processing delays, please familiarise yourself with standard AS/NZ 61439.

What do you need to do?

1. Review the above key changes in AS/NZ 61439 and submit switchboards for review to: switchboard.review@essentialenergy.com.au.
2. Communicate this information to relevant members of your organisation.

Further Information

If you need further information, please email aspinfo@essentialenergy.com.au or contact your local Network Assurance Facilitator.