Welcome to TasNetworks 'Electrical Professionals Information Hub'

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.

The TasNetworks Basic Micro EG Connection Technical Requirements outlines the standards for solar systems being connected to our network.

Maximum system capacities, Export Limits, phase balancing and inverter settings are all outlined in detail for 1, 2 and 3 phase sites.

The supporting document for TasNetworks technical requirements for solar connections can be found on the TasNetworks website 'Solar Connections' - relevant documents.

TasNetworks is changing the supplier of the 100a service fuse holders.

The new fuse holder is a Sicame Australia product and will replace the 100A Michaud Fuse holder.

Changes

The difference in the new Sicame fuses compared to the MichaudSicame 100a Service Fuse Holder Fuse are;

• Cable entry is on the underside of the holder; drip loops are not required to be made.
• Shear-off IPC bolts are located at the end of the fuse holder for easier installation.
• The fuse holder is vented which will increase fuse life and installation reliability.
• IP rating is better than the existing fuse holder. An ID plate can be fitted with punch out numbers/letters that can be used to identify the customer’s house number.

Note:

• Fuse holder fits existing TasNetworks brackets, fuses, and operating sticks (fuse stick).
• Accepts cable sizes 6 – 95mm2

Impact

A review (change assessment) has been carried out which identified the need to update standards and develop guidance around which fuse holders are to be fitted with IDs.

Service Fuse Holders will be fitted with the optional yellow ID plateYellow Plate ID (SI 221762) in the following situations.

• Where a service connection comes off a pole and goes underground
• Where multiple service connections are fed from a single pole

The numbering system TasNetworks will use is:

• For numbers 100 and over - the last two digits of the customers address will be used.
• For units - the unit number will be used.
• For subdivided properties - where houses have the same street number (eg 1a / 1b) these will be identified by the letter.

** These new service fuses are being installed statewide so you will start to see them in the field **

The Technical Advice Team are taking a few extra days leave over the Easter Holiday period.

They will be unavailable from 29th March 2024 and will resume 8th April 2024.

You can still submit an online technical advice request via the Connections portal and the team will review these when they return.

TasNetworks wish you and your loved ones a fun and safe Easter break.

TasNetworks will have all inspections & mitigation of potential defective batch Numbers completed by mid March 2024.

All known potential sites will have been inspected and the fuse holders mitigated - there will still be some fuses out there with the red heat shrink (find the previous alert here).

We are now beginning the process of replacing any fuses that are from the defective batch where they are installed on any privately owned structure and this work will be completed by May, 2024.

Customers who were identified as potential sites for the defective fuse will be starting to receive letters from TasNetworks advising the outcomes appropriate to their scenario (no impact, service fuse mitigated, or service fuse replaced)

If you do get any queries, please direct them to TasNetworks Customer Service Centre Phone: 1300 137 008 Monday to Friday 9am-5pm or Email: customer.enquiries@tasnetworks.com.au

As part of TasNetworks 2024-2029 Network Pricing Strategy, there are changes to Network Tariffs that you need to be aware of:

Our proposal is subject to AER approval.

From 1 July, 2024 the following Network Tariffs will no longer be available for New Connections and will become obsolete.

• TAS31 – residential general light and power
• TAS41 – heating and hot water
• TAS22 – small business general light and power

The default Network Tariff assignment for customers will be;

• TAS93 – residential time of use consumption
• TAS94 – small business time of use consumption

These changes have come about to encourage customers to use the network more efficiently and better utilise emerging technologies.

We recommend that electrical professionals advise customers to contact their retailer if they wish to discuss retail tariffs.

Existing customers who have TAS31, TAS41 or TAS22 as at 30 June 2024 can remain on those tariffs but may move to cost reflective tariffs under certain conditions or upon request to their retailer.

Additional detail is available on the Fact Sheets on the TasNetworks Website (under the 2024-2029 Distribution Regulatory Proposal).

If you have any queries regarding the Network Tariffs please contact our Leader Regulated Pricing on email regulation@tasnetworks.com.au

Electrical Contractors can now submit ‘Online Technical Advice Cases’ via the Connections Portal.

Online Technical Advice Cases are lodged just like an EWR or Basic application but please refer to the Work Instructions here if required.

Benefits of the Online Technical Advice Case

• Available 24/7 – You can submit the online request any time of day or night.
• Add Supporting Documentation – It has capacity to add documents or photos to clarify your query. Clear information will support the team in providing you timely and accurate information.
• Response available in the 'Documents Tab – Once provided the advice will be available to view in the 'Documents Tab' of the case.

** Make sure that you have consulted the SIR before contacting Technical Advice **

Cases will be picked up by a technical advice team member within 10 business days. If you require a site visit, please allow plenty of notice so that we can schedule accordingly.

Once assessed and Technical Advice has been provided, a response will be made available in the documents tab of the relevant case.

The Technical Advice Team can still be contacted via phone (1300 300 545) between 9:00am -3:00pm Monday to Friday (please note upcoming Holiday period)