Embedded Generation Connections 5 MW or Greater

Requirements

Complete an Embedded Generator Connection Enquiry Form and send it to the Energy Connections Team, energyconnectionsSG@ausnetservices.com.au.

Costs

No fee for this stage

Time frame

15 business days for a Preliminary Enquiry Response

Process

To continue the enquiry process a Letter Agreement and Confidentiality Agreement need to be executed. These agreements define the scope of the services AST will provide prior to the execution of the long form Connection Agreements. 

Costs payable under the Letter Agreement are associated with works undertaken by AST for the following stages:

1. Connection Application
2. Offer preparation; and
3. Contract negotiations.

An upfront non-refundable Advance Payment is payable upon Letter and Confidentiality Agreement execution. This Advance Payment does not constitute the total consideration payable to AST by a Connection Applicant.

Due to the iterative nature of the detailed enquiry and connection application stages an overall sum payable by the Connection Applicant cannot be determined in the early stages of a project and billing will be on an hourly basis after the initial Advance Payment has been exhausted.

If a Preliminary Enquiry Response has been provided by AST, the response will include a dedicated Point of Contact for that project. To execute the Letter and Confidentiality Agreements please send an email to the project's Point of Contact requesting to commence the Letter Agreement Engagement stage. The Point of Contact will then provide draft copies of these agreements for the Connection Applicant's review and execution.

If the Preliminary Enquiry stage was bypassed and the Connection Applicant has chosen to move directly to Detailed Enquiry stage, there will be no assigned Point of Contact. Please send an email to energyconnectionsSG@ausnetservices.com.au requesting a copy of both the Letter and Confidentiality Agreements.

Requirements

1. Send an email to your Point of Contact requesting to commence the Letter Engagement Agreement stage.
or
2. Send an email to energyconnectionsSG@ausnetservices.com.au requesting to commence the Letter Agreement Engagement stage.

Costs

An initial non-refundable Advance Payment of $20,000 (excl. GST) payable at execution of Letter and Confidentiality Agreements. 

Fees are charged at an hourly rate each month as they are incurred and are initially offset against the Advance Payment. 

Time frame

Time frame is variable and dependant on contract negotiations.

Process

The Detailed Enquiry Response provides a high level scope and cost estimate for the project along with a draft copy of AST's connection agreement. 

After the Letter and Confidentiality Agreements have been signed, the Connection Applicant may lodge a Detailed Enquiry Form to the Point of Contact. 

The Connection Applicant must submit a completed form along with all additional information requested by AST. AST will then confirm receipt of all information via email and a Detailed Enquiry Response will be provided within 30 Business Days.

Requirements

1. Lodge the Detailed Enquiry Form to the Point of Contact.

Costs

No additional fees will be charged. 

The Detailed Enquiry stage costs are charged under the Letter Agreement. 

Time frame

Once all information required on the Detailed Enquiry Form is received and confirmed, AST will provide a Detailed Enquiry Response within 30 Business Days.  

Overall time frame for this stage can vary between 3 – 6 months. These time frames are estimates only.  

Process

The Connection Applicant may proceed to the Connection Application stage following consideration of the Detailed Enquiry Response. 

To commence this stage a Connection Application Form must be submitted. 

There are a few inputs needed in order to commence assessing the connection application.  The connection application will not be deemed complete until all required criteria is met as required by the Connection Application Form. 

Once AST has received all of the required information outlined in the form, preparation of a firm offer to connect will commence. During the Connection Application process AST will consult with AEMO and, if required, existing customers at the Applicants proposed point of connection.  

Requirements

1. Lodge the Connection Application Form with the Point of Contact along with all information requested as part of that form.  

Costs

No additional fees will be charged. 

The Connection Application stage costs are charged under the Letter Agreement. 

AEMO’s costs to review the network study and GPS will be passed through to the applicant per the terms of the Letter Agreement.  

Time frame

The time frame for this stage is dependent on the information provided from the applicant. Assessing the Connection Application is usually an iterative process. 

Typically, this stage takes 6-9 months. These time frames are estimates only.

Process

Once AST has confirmed receipt of a complete Connection Application, a Firm Offer will be provided within 4 months. The Firm Offer sets out the costs AST will charge to complete all works required to connect the embedded generator to the distribution network.  

The Applicant has 20 Business Days to accept the offer once provided by AST.

After the Firm Offer is accepted, the parties then negotiate long form Connection Agreements.  The Connection Agreements govern the ongoing connection services to be provided by AST, as well as the network augmentation/extension works which are required. 

Certain parts of the network augmentation/extension work may be undertaken by AST or the applicant, depending on the nature of the work to be undertaken.

Upon execution of the Connection Agreements delivery of the project will commence.

Requirements

1. A Complete Connection Application.
2. Acceptance of the Firm Offer by the Applicant.

Costs

No additional fees will be charged. 

The Offer (including negotiations) and Contract Execution stages costs are charged under the Letter Agreement.  

Time frame

Typically, this stage takes 6-12 months depending on contract negotiations. These time frames are estimates only. 

Process

The Project Delivery stage will commence once conditions precedent in the Connection Agreements have been met and payment has been made by the Applicant. 

While the Network Augmentation / Extension works are progressing, the Applicant can commence construction of the Generating Plant in parallel. 

The Applicant will not be able to generate until AusNet Services has achieved Practical Completion and energised the assets up to the agreed Point Of Connection. 

Once energised, the Applicant can commence commissioning of the Generating Plant. AST will assist the Applicant to ensure the plant has been commissioned in accordance with the Commissioning Plan and all Generator Performance Standards (GPS) requirements have been met. 

AST will provide the Applicant with a GPS Compliance Letter to mark the completion and satisfactory compliance of the Generating Plant. This concludes the connection process.

 
Requirements

1. Execute Connection Agreements
2. Meet Conditions Precedent
3. Make payment per Connection Agreements.

Costs

Project connection costs per Connection Agreements.

Time frame

Project Delivery is highly dependent on project scope.