Welcome to TasNetworks 'Electrical Professionals Information Hub'

Thank you to everyone who participated in our inaugural Electrical Professionals Satisfaction Survey. This survey enables us to hear the voice of the industry, better understand how well we're delivering the services you and your clients need and any opportunities for improvement.

The survey focused on basic connection services.

What we heard:

• 2 in every 3 electrical professionals state they are satisfied with TasNetworks' current services and performance
• In fact, 1 in every 4 rank our performance as 10/10
• The industry sees the professionalism of our staff; the technical advice and knowledge base we provide; and the ease of use of our systems as key strengths
• Currently 2 in every 3 electrical professionals receive communications from us via email. A channel that mirrors the preference – with the majority indicated they would prefer to continue to receive communications via this channel
• 1 in every 2 electrical professionals are satisfied with the EWR process.

View the survey results snapshot here.

What next?

Your feedback has provided us with some areas to focus on, including:

• The provision of clearer checklists and guidelines prior to completing paperwork
• A streamlined documentation submission process
• More frequent and collaborative reviews
• Improved feedback loops
• Optimising the timeliness of communications
• Improving status and progress tracking
• The ability to pre-fill repeating information and
• Investigation of a mobile app version.

We'll now work with our internal teams to review these specific requests and look to find efficiencies and ways to optimise the process for basic new connections and alterations. We commit to providing regular updates as we progress this work and as solutions are implemented.

We greatly appreciate the honesty and openness of your feedback and look forward to rolling out the survey annually to monitor our ongoing performance and gauge change solutions.

TasNetworks has had an Enterprise Agreement offer successfully accepted by its workforce.

The offer was accepted on the first vote by 459 votes to 440, with 98.3 per cent participation among eligible voters. The week-long voting period concluded on Wednesday 2 October.

Most importantly for our customers - this outcome eliminates the risk of renewed industrial action in the near future affecting Tasmania’s electricity network.

We recognise that the industrial action that did occur in late-August had a significant impact on customers, businesses and industries. In some cases, those consequences continued into the recent period of severe storm activity across Tasmania.

We sincerely thank everyone for your patience and understanding during these challenging times. We recognise that our customers often bore the brunt and consequences of that disruption.

From the start of the EA negotiations, TasNetworks has been determined to reach a deal that supports and rewards our people better than ever before, while protecting the future sustainability of our business and protecting Tasmanian customers, including businesses, on the issue of power prices. We’re pleased to have secured an outcome that achieves those objectives, while averting the risk of further industrial action on the Tasmanian power network you rely upon.

Tasnetworks would like to thank everyone for their time and response to our recent Electrical Contractor Satisfaction Survey.

We had a strong response rate which was fantastic to see.

We would also like to congratulate Samuel D on being the lucky winner of the prize draw - a $250 gift card.

Tasnetworks will now be looking to evaluate the feedback in order to better understand how we can look to optimise the services and processes we have in place to work with all our electrical stakeholders.

Industrial Action Update - 19 August 2024

TasNetworks CEO Sean McGoldrick, has written a formal letter to the Electrical Industry on how we are addressing the potential impacts to your business.

To read the letter 'Click Here'.

TasNetworks will continue to provide updates to the industry as we know more information.

You may be aware of recent media attention around upcoming Industrial Action that could impact the services TasNetworks provides.

We are currently working through how this might impact EWR related works – including customer connections and tee ups.

TasNetworks endeavours to minimise any disruption to these services as much as possible and commit to working with any impacted electrical contractors over the coming weeks

We will continue to provide updates to the industry as we know more.

TasNetworks is undertaking this survey to understand the current satisfaction levels of Tasmanian Electrical Professionals around basic connections and alterations works.

Your feedback will help us understand how well we are supporting the needs of the industry and allow us to consider potential ways to improve what we do into the future.

You will also go into the drawer to win a $250 gift card for completing the survey

The survey will be open from Monday 29th July 2024 until Friday 16th August 2024 and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Please note you cannot save the survey; all questions will require an answer to be submitted.

The winner of the $250 gift voucher will be drawn on 19 August 2024 and contacted via phone or email. ** terms & conditions apply **

A reminder of the requirements for connections of Underground Consumer Mains up TasNetworks Pole.

As per the Service & Installation Rules it is the responsibility of the Customer to engage with the appropriate Councils and obtain approval for Underground Consumer Mains to cross council land for their connection and it is the Electrical Contractors responsibility to provide this evidence of approval to TasNetworks.

TasNetworks has received formal notification that several councils across the state will NOT allow underground consumer mains to cross their road reserve/ nature strip. This has meant that TasNetworks is now applying some additional validation steps to our processes to ensure that evidence of approval is received prior to completing the connection.

If you are asked to provide the evidence of this approval and you cannot produce documentation, your connection will not go ahead.

Please refer to the Service & Installation Rules for full connection requirements but be aware of the clauses below.

6.5.2 UG Consumer Mains up TasNetworks Service Pole

6.5.2.1 Customers must:

a) Obtain approval in writing from their local council or authority to cross council or public land to attach Consumer Mains to a TasNetworks’ service pole. The Electrical Contractor must provide evidence of this approval.

6.5.2.2 Customers’ Electrical Contractors must:

a) Provide evidence to TasNetworks of approval from the local Council to cross council land to attach Consumer Mains to a TasNetworks’ service pole

6.5.2.3 TasNetworks must:

a) Not connect any Consumer Mains up poles to the distribution network if the requirements in 6.5.2.1 and 6.5.2.2 above are not met

If you have any queries, please contact the Technical Advice team on 1300 300 545.

TasNetworks updated pricing applications for 2024-2029 regulatory control period are available on pricing page of the TasNetworks website.

The page incudes both Distribution and Transmission pricing as well as fact sheets so please make sure you are familiar with these documents and requirements. The most common queries we get from the Electrical Industry come from the documents below.

2024-2029 Ancillary Services Guide - Fee Based Services Application & Price Guide

2024-2029 Ancillary Services Guide - Quoted Services Application Services

Please also find the Network Tariff Information Sheet which has been created to support the industries understanding of the recent Tariff changes and impacts to customers.

This should be read in conjunction with the Network tariff application guide for the 2024-2029 regulatory control period.

A new work stage for EWRs 'Awaiting Applicant Information' has been added to the Connections Portal.

This will be used when we are waiting on the EC to provide further info, call us back etc.

TasNetworks will have attempted to contact you via phone or email to advise what we require before we place the EWR in this on-hold Status.

TasNetworks has introduced a new 630A LVABC Fuse Box that has lugged terminations only. This replaces the 400A LVABC Fuse Box that had piercing terminations.

These Fuse boxes require the cables to the terminated using bi metal lugs, which replaces the insulation piercing fitting with a bolted connection. This lug must have a 12mm bolt hole and must be supplied by the electrical contractor.

TasNetworks Service & Installation rules will be updated in the next edition to reflect these changes.

If you have any questions in regard to this change, please contact the Technical Advice Team on 1300 300 545.