Plug and Play

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Essential Energy is accelerating the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging across regional, rural and remote NSW with our Plug and Play kerbside charging program.

The initiative will enable charge point operators (CPOs) to connect 1,000 new public EV chargers to existing power poles and install 300 composite streetlight chargers. This will almost double the number of chargers currently available across our footprint.

By using existing network assets, Plug and Play reduces complexity and cost for operators, helping fast-track EV charging in communities that have lagged behind urban areas.

General Manager Commercial Development, Andrew Hillsdon, says the program is about creating a scalable model for future installations. “We’re taking the complexity and some of the costs out of installing EV chargers so operators can simply come into our communities and plug in,” Andrew said.

Partially funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the program will offer two solutions. Stream 1 will pre-enable 1,000 existing power poles to be connection ready for pole mounted EV Chargers. Stream 2 The Deployment of 300 innovative composite (fibreglass) streetlight columns with integrated 7kw EV chargers.


Essential Energy is accelerating the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging across regional, rural and remote NSW with our Plug and Play kerbside charging program.

The initiative will enable charge point operators (CPOs) to connect 1,000 new public EV chargers to existing power poles and install 300 composite streetlight chargers. This will almost double the number of chargers currently available across our footprint.

By using existing network assets, Plug and Play reduces complexity and cost for operators, helping fast-track EV charging in communities that have lagged behind urban areas.

General Manager Commercial Development, Andrew Hillsdon, says the program is about creating a scalable model for future installations. “We’re taking the complexity and some of the costs out of installing EV chargers so operators can simply come into our communities and plug in,” Andrew said.

Partially funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the program will offer two solutions. Stream 1 will pre-enable 1,000 existing power poles to be connection ready for pole mounted EV Chargers. Stream 2 The Deployment of 300 innovative composite (fibreglass) streetlight columns with integrated 7kw EV chargers.


Ask a question about the Plug and Play program

If you are not involved in the CPO or Council reference groups but would like to ask us a question, please do so here and we will respond as soon as we can.

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  • Share Where can I find information about where the 1000 new poles will be located. is there a process of consultation and information provided to communities who are directly benefiting or affected during the roll out? Are there opportunities for local communities to be involved in tendering to be the CPOs. on Facebook Share Where can I find information about where the 1000 new poles will be located. is there a process of consultation and information provided to communities who are directly benefiting or affected during the roll out? Are there opportunities for local communities to be involved in tendering to be the CPOs. on Twitter Share Where can I find information about where the 1000 new poles will be located. is there a process of consultation and information provided to communities who are directly benefiting or affected during the roll out? Are there opportunities for local communities to be involved in tendering to be the CPOs. on Linkedin Email Where can I find information about where the 1000 new poles will be located. is there a process of consultation and information provided to communities who are directly benefiting or affected during the roll out? Are there opportunities for local communities to be involved in tendering to be the CPOs. link

    Where can I find information about where the 1000 new poles will be located. is there a process of consultation and information provided to communities who are directly benefiting or affected during the roll out? Are there opportunities for local communities to be involved in tendering to be the CPOs.

    Amanda E. TUNSW asked 18 days ago

    Thanks for the question.

    Information on where the 1,000 new poles are going to be installed will be available progressively as locations are identified through consultation with local councils.

    Decisions about how communities are consulted and what information is shared during rollout sits with the relevant local councils.

    The process to install chargers on enabled sites is being worked through and discussed with the CPO reference group and will be published in due course.

  • Share Why only 7kw , if your trvelling and need to charge 7kw is just too slow, 22kw is marginally better but best would be 25kw+ DC charger. 7kw will give me about 40km an hour, long time to get to the next charger possibly. on Facebook Share Why only 7kw , if your trvelling and need to charge 7kw is just too slow, 22kw is marginally better but best would be 25kw+ DC charger. 7kw will give me about 40km an hour, long time to get to the next charger possibly. on Twitter Share Why only 7kw , if your trvelling and need to charge 7kw is just too slow, 22kw is marginally better but best would be 25kw+ DC charger. 7kw will give me about 40km an hour, long time to get to the next charger possibly. on Linkedin Email Why only 7kw , if your trvelling and need to charge 7kw is just too slow, 22kw is marginally better but best would be 25kw+ DC charger. 7kw will give me about 40km an hour, long time to get to the next charger possibly. link

    Why only 7kw , if your trvelling and need to charge 7kw is just too slow, 22kw is marginally better but best would be 25kw+ DC charger. 7kw will give me about 40km an hour, long time to get to the next charger possibly.

    bigtree asked about 1 month ago

    Thanks for the feedback.

    We understand that 7 kW public AC charging doesn’t suit all EV drivers or all trip types, particularly for people travelling through who need a faster top‑up. It’s also worth calling out that this isn’t just about regional travel - many drivers rely on public charging because they don’t have access to off‑street parking at home, making kerbside options important for everyday use as well.

    The 7 kW chargers being discussed are part of Stream 2, focused on kerbside charging using existing streetlight infrastructure. These sites are limited by the incoming supply that typically feeds streetlight circuits, which use smaller cables and can’t safely support higher‑power charging. Within those constraints, 7 kW provides a practical option for longer‑stay or top‑up charging. Through Stream 1, we envisage operators will typically deploy 11 or 22kw AC chargers, however we are not ruling out higher‑power solution. As suitable products become available, third‑party operators may elect to install smaller form DC chargers in locations where it is appropriate and safe to do so.

Page last updated: 18 Feb 2026, 01:55 PM