SA Power Networks | Industry News
Introduction of new National Energy Regulations will
result in changes to Form A Applications for customer
connection services.
21 December 2012
SA Power Networks
www.sapowernetworks.com.au
www.sapowernetworks.com.au
CHANGES TO FORM A DUE TO NEW NATIONAL REGULATIONS
New National Energy Regulations come into effect as of 1 February 2013, which will place new
obligations on SA Power Networks, Customers and Electrical Contractors.
Some of these changes relate to the connection process and require the establishment of an
agreement regarding the terms and conditions of how the connection works will be performed
ahead of the work commencing.
The majority of connection work can follow a very similar process as it does today if a customer
elects to expedite the offer process and therefore agree to a Basic Connection Service – a key
decision to ensure the application for connection is streamlined.
An expedited Basic Connection Service will require an application (Form A) to be lodged,
electronically through REX or a paper application via the customer’s retailer who will pass on the
request to SA Power Networks. Once we have processed and scoped the request you, and your
client, will receive an SMS or email notification indicating your job is ready for a connection
booking to be made. This notification will also include an indication of the standard connection
fee applicable for that specific connection request.
SA Power Networks fees for expedited connections are set out in Chapter 9, of our Network Tariff
& Negotiated Services Manual 18. A copy of this manual can be viewed or downloaded from SA
Power Networks website at: www.sapowernetworks.com.au
Should a customer wish to receive a formal offer, even if it relates to what would normally be an
expedited basic connection service, SA Power Networks will prepare a formal written offer within
10 business days from receipt of the application from the customer’s retailer. The customer has
up to 45 business days to accept or reject our offer. The customer must notify SA Power
Networks of their acceptance of our offer in writing before we can progress their basic connection
service request to the booking stage. This is not an efficient or effective process for a customer
who qualifies for an expedited Basic Connection Service.
To facilitate these changes, for those that still use paper applications, the paper Form A
application, (version 16), has been modified to provide an indicator box at the top of the page to
allow a request to be made for a formal offer. The indicator box must be checked if a formal offer
is required. In most cases, we are not expecting this to be ticked.
Refer to the following picture insert below.
Figure 1: Request for formal offer statement checkbox
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Please note: requesting a formal offer will delay your ability to make a connection booking by
up to three months.
Only check the box if you want a formal written offer. If unchecked, you have chosen for your
basic service connection request to be processed as an expedited request and it will be processed
in the same way these requests are presently managed.
Another new obligation placed on SA Power Networks requires us to be able to provide more
information regarding a customer’s basic connection service request made by you directly to the
customer, with specific reference to any standard fees that will be payable in association with
their request. In order to fulfil this obligation and to reduce the number of customer complaints
we presently receive regarding Contractors and Solar Providers not informing their clients of SA
Power Networks fees and charges, we will need customers to provide either an email address or
mobile phone number in order for us to send an email or SMS notification to them. The provision
of an email address and/or mobile phone number for the customer is now mandatory information
and applications will not be accepted unless this information is provided. It is our preference that
the customer provides both an email address and a mobile phone number.
Figure 2: Extract from Section 2A Customer Acceptance of the paper version Form A
As highlighted in the above figure, the terms and conditions relevant for the provision of a basic
service connection to the network will be covered by the SA Power Networks Basic Connection
Service Terms. For those customers installing a small embedded generator as part of that
connection, they will also be bound by the Small-Embedded Generator Basic Connection Service
Terms. Copies of the new Terms can be downloaded after 1 February 2013 from the SA Power
Networks website.
For REX users, the same changes will be made to the current REX application screens as of the 1
February 2013 and you will need to provide the required information to be able to submit your
REX application.
The last major change of note for customers driven by the new energy laws relates to the terms
and conditions applicable for the ongoing supply of energy to the customer.
Up to now, whenever a customer was connected to and drew energy from the network, there
was a deemed Connection and Supply Contract in place under Part B of the SA Distribution Code
that customers and SA Power Networks were legally bound by. This contract was approved and
amended by the government from time to time and changes gazetted in the SA Government
Gazette as required by law.
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As of 1 February 2013, under the new energy laws a customer’s existing Connection and Supply
Contract will no longer be valid and new deemed contracts will come into effect for customers.
The majority of customers will be covered under the Deemed Standard Ongoing Connection
Contract, however, for some large business customers this will not apply and a larger version of
this contract will apply. Copies of these separate contracts are available from the SA Power
Networks website at www.etsautilities.com.au/connections .
Please note that due to the changes in energy laws that will occur on 1 February 2013, SA Power
Networks will not be able to accept any Form A application that is not submitted on the new
Version 16 of this form. See attached sample below. New version 16 Form A’s are now available
for downloading from the SA Power Networks website at www.etsautilities.com.au/connections .
I encourage all Builders, Electrical Contractors and Solar Providers that still use paper applications
to start using the new version 16 form immediately. The forms must be completed fully and all
mandatory information provided as requested. All Electrical Retailers have been advised that as
of 1 February 2013 they must reject any Form A application that is not a version 16 form. In
addition any form that does not include a customer’s email address or mobile phone number will
also be rejected. Your assistance with the compliance to these changes that have been brought
about by changes in the national energy laws will be greatly appreciated and will help to minimise
any potential delays and issues in servicing your clients.
Authorised by: Ian Rogers, Manager Connection Services, SA Power Networks
www.sapowernetworks.com.au
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Figure 3: Example Form A version 16
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