After regulation 12 of the Principal Regulations , the following Part is inserted:

PART 3 - Connection Service Standards

13.     Interpretation of Part

(1)  In this Part –

applicant , in relation to an application, means the person who made the application;

application means an application for a permit for a development or use that requires a relevant entity to make a connection to relevant electricity infrastructure;

assessment stage means the stage of works that includes –

(a) the assessment or determination of the scope of the works; and

(b) the issue of a letter of response;

connection letter of offer means a letter, issued by a relevant entity to an applicant, that confirms the details of the design stage of the works to which the applicant’s application relates;

connection stage means the stage of works that includes –

(a) the construction of relevant electricity infrastructure, to a point of supply that has been agreed between the relevant entity and the applicant; and

(b) the inspection and approval of relevant electricity infrastructure, including infrastructure for connections, that has been constructed as part of the works; and

(c) notification that the works are completed being given to the applicant, or the retailer, by the relevant entity;

design stage means the stage of works that includes –

(a) the design of the works; and

(b) the checking of the design of the works; and

(c) the approval of the design of the works; and

(d) the issue of a connection letter of offer;

large-scale works means works that –

(a) require the provision of high-voltage electricity infrastructure; or

(b) are for the purposes of a development or use that has a maximum demand of more than one megawatt of electricity, and require the provision of low-voltage electricity infrastructure; or

(c) are, in the reasonable opinion of the relevant entity undertaking the works, complex in nature;

letter of response means a letter, issued by a relevant entity to an applicant, that confirms the details of the assessment stage of the works to which the applicant’s application relates;

medium-scale works means works, for the purposes of a development or use that has a maximum demand of up to and including one megawatt of electricity, that –

(a) require the provision of low-voltage electricity infrastructure; or

(b) are not small-scale works;

small-scale works means works, for the purposes of a development or use that has a maximum demand of 100 amps or less, that can be undertaken using existing low-voltage electricity infrastructure and network capacity.

(2)  For the purposes of this regulation, a term used in this regulation and also in Division 5B of Part 3 of the Act has the same meaning in this regulation as it has in that Division.

14.     Stages of works

For the purposes of section 44O(1)(a) of the Act, the stages of the process required to be undertaken by a relevant entity in relation to works specified in that paragraph are as follows:

(a) the assessment stage;

(b) the design stage;

(c) the connection stage.

15.     Timing of stages of works

(1)  In this regulation –

application date , in relation to an application, means the day on which the application, or relevant notice of the application, for the works of the type specified in section 44O(1)(a)(i) , (ii) or (iii) , is provided to, and accepted by, the relevant entity.

(2)  For the purposes of section 44O(1)(b) of the Act, the time, calculated from the application date in relation to an application, by which a relevant entity is to complete each stage of a process in relation to small-scale works to which the application relates is –

(a) for –

(i) the assessment stage – 10 business days; and

(ii) the design stage – 25 business days; and

(iii) the connection stage – 45 business days; or

(b) such time as is agreed in relation to each stage between a relevant entity and the applicant.

(3)  For the purposes of section 44O(1)(b) of the Act, the time, calculated from the application date in relation to an application, by which a relevant entity is to complete each stage of a process in relation to medium-scale works to which the application relates is –

(a) for –

(i) the assessment stage – 15 business days; and

(ii) the design stage – 35 business days; and

(iii) the connection stage – 60 business days; or

(b) such time as is agreed in relation to each stage between a relevant entity and the applicant.

(4)  For the purposes of section 44O(1)(b) of the Act, the time, calculated from the application date in relation to an application, by which a relevant entity is to complete each stage of a process in relation to large-scale works to which the application relates is –

(a) for –

(i) the assessment stage – 30 business days; and

(ii) the design stage – 80 business days; and

(iii) the connection stage – 160 business days; or

(b) such time as is agreed in relation to each stage between a relevant entity and the applicant.

16.     Exceptions and extensions to timing of stages of works

(1)  A time by which a stage of a process in relation to works specified in regulation 15 is to be completed does not apply –

(a) if –

(i) there is a flood, fire, natural disaster or other emergency event; and

(ii) the relevant entity is reasonably satisfied that a delay to the completion of the stage of a process in relation to works specified in that regulation is necessary, because of the diversion of resources of the entity in relation to the event; or

(b) if the relevant entity is reasonably satisfied that the entity is unable to access a location at which the works specified in that regulation are to be undertaken; or

(c) if the relevant entity is reasonably satisfied that the entity is unable to complete the stage of the process in relation to works specified in that regulation due to other works, to be carried out by a person who is not the relevant entity, not yet being carried out.

(2)  If, in order to complete a stage of a process in relation to works specified under regulation 15 , a relevant entity requires information from an applicant or retailer –

(a) the relevant entity is to request the information from the applicant or retailer as soon as practicable; and

(b) the time by which that stage of a process in relation to works specified in regulation 15 is to be completed ceases to run on and from the day on which the request is made under paragraph (a) until 5 days after the relevant entity is supplied, to the satisfaction of the relevant entity, with the information.

Displayed and numbered in accordance with the Rules Publication Act 1953 .

Notified in the Gazette on 22 December 2021

These regulations are administered in the Department of State Growth.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the regulation)

These regulations amend the Electricity Supply Industry Regulations 2018 by –

(a) classifying the installation or erection of powerlines on private property as work of minor environmental impact; and

(b) specifying the stages of a process in relation to certain categories of works; and

(c) specifying the time by which each of the stages of each of the categories of works is to be completed.