Electricity Suppliers

Introduction
The purpose of this document is to assist the electrical industry understand the requirements within
the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act) and the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009 (the
Regs) related to a person (Body Corporate or company) that co-ordinates the connection of an
electrical installation to an electricity network.

Application
These technical and safety requirements apply in Victoria through Energy Safe Victorias (ESV)
legislation and are to be applied in conjunction with the National Electricity Rules, administered by the
Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
These requirements do not apply to the five Major Electricity Companies (MECs) that hold a
distribution licence under the Electricity Industry Act 2000, but do apply to subsidiary companies
installing metering equipment not owned by the MEC (non-MEC metering).

Background
There is a lack of understanding by the industry of the requirements and responsibilities related to the
connection of an electrical installation to an electricity network and the installation of non-MEC
metering equipment under the Act and Regs
In the past MECs owned and installed all the metering equipment and remain exempted from various
requirements of the Act including

Division 1 which relates to the Registration of electrical contractors; and

Division 2 which relates to the Licensing of electrical workers; and
Division 3 which relates to the requirements for Electrical work, certificates of electrical safety
and the inspection of prescribed electrical installation work.

In lieu of this, when undertaking metering work on an electrical installation the exemption prescribes
the minimum requirements for qualifications, training and testing for persons installing, replacing or
altering MEC owned metering equipment.
These exemptions do not apply to the installation of non-MEC metering equipment.

Compliance
An electricity supplier is defined in the Act as a person (body corporate or company) that provides
electricity to another person, this may include but is not limited to a Retailer, Metering co-ordinator,
Responsible person or any person that co-ordinates the connection of supply to individual customers,
this could be within an embedded network or a participant within the contestable metering market and
applies to both low and high voltage electrical installations.
Section 45 of the Act requires an electricity supplier to

Electricity Suppliers

Before an electricity supplier first connects an electrical installation or an individual customers

electrical installation to an electricity supply, the electricity supplier must ensure that
(a) a certificate of inspection of the prescribed electrical installation work in relation to that
installation or portion of an electrical installation to be connected to supply has been
issued by a licensed electrical inspector; and
(b) a certificate of electrical safety has been issued for the installation of the metering
equipment by the meter installer; and
(c) all the required tests have been performed; and
(d) as far as practicable, ensure the installation is safe to energise.

The above requirement replicates the MEC requirements for the connection of an electrical
installation to the electrical network and the same requirements apply to an electricity supplier.
The AER requires documentation be retained for seven years, this includes Certificates of Electrical
Safety.

Additional requirements for HV installations

Electricity suppliers with high voltage installations must also ensure compliance with

Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009 - Part 3- Division 1- Duties of owners and
operators of high voltage electrical installations, complex electrical installations;
Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009 - Part 2- Division 5 Reporting and records;
and
Electrical Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Regulations 2013; and
AS 2067 Substations and high voltage installations; and
Meet the Conditions of connection to supply by the MEC; and
Section 9 of the Victorian Service and Installation Rules.

Installation of metering equipment

The installation of non-MEC metering equipment (as is the case with any other electrical installation
work) requires the person or company to comply with the Act and Regulations conclusive of being;

a registered electrical contractor;

employ licensed electrical workers to perform the work;
issue certificates of electrical safety in relation to that work
ensure any prescribed work is inspected by a licensed electrical inspector

Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009 mandates AS/NZS 3000 the Australian/New
Zealand Wiring Rules as the minimum requirements for the design, construction and verification of
electrical installations.

Testing
To ensure the integrity and safety of the customers electrical installation the meter installers must
ensure that
(i)

the LEW has been properly trained in the safety aspects and limitations in relation to that
work; and
(iii) before the electricity supply is made available ensure that the work is tested
(A)

in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian Electricity Supply Industry (VESI):
Installation Supply Connection Tests & Procedures manual to ensure integrity of supply to

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the customers main or occupancy switchboard or the equipment to be supplied and the
correct operation of metering equipment on the connection of the electricity supply; or
(B)

in compliance with AS 4741:2010 - Testing of connections to low voltage electricity

networks; or

(C)

for HV installations - in compliance with section 9 of AS 2067 Substations and high voltage
installations and clause 9.14 of the SIRs

Meter Boards and Panels

The installation of non-MEC metering equipment requires the meter panels and associated metering
wiring to comply with the minimum requirements of the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations
2009 that call up AS/NZS 3000 the Wiring Rules as published as the minimum requirements for the
design, construction and verification of electrical installations.
All metering equipment should be installed in accordance with the Victorian Service & Installation
Rules (SIRs), this will minimise rework in the event that conversion to National Market Metering is
required.
Guidance - types of electrical Installation work
Current transformer metering equipment

the installation of current transformer chambers, current transformers and supply to the
potential fuses within the chamber is prescribed electrical installation work; and
the installation of the ct metering and associated ct metering equipment is non-prescribed
electrical installation work; and
the replacement of the ct meter and associated ct metering equipment is non-prescribed
electrical installation work.

Other metering equipment

the installation or replacement of the metering equipment is non-prescribed electrical

installation work; and
the replacement of a MEC owned meter with a non-MEC owned meter is non-prescribed
electrical installation work.

All work must comply with the minimum requirements of the AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, NERs
and SIRs.

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Relevant legislation, definitions and information

Orders in council - CONSOLIDATED VERSION AS AT 10 FEBRUARY 2013
G17_1999 as amended by Orders in Council published in the Government Gazette on:
16 December 1999 (G50), 27 January 2000 (G4), 7 September 2000 (G36), 24 October 2002
(G43), 16 December 2004 (G51); 19 October 2006 (G42); 13 August 2009 (G33) and
6 February 2013 (S34).
Part 2
Section 4(1)(b) of the Electricity Safety Act 1998
Electrical equipment
1. Divisions 1, 2 (with the exception of section 39 but only for the purpose of clause 1(c) of this
Order) and 3 (with the exception of section 43) of Part 3 of the Act do not have effect in
relation to the following electrical installations
Electrical installations
a) upstream of the point of supply except electrical installations used for the consumption of
electricity by the electricity supplier;
b) comprising of connections to consumers terminals for the purpose of providing electricity
supply;
c) used for metering or the control or protection of metering circuits, and equipment
connected or to be connected to metering owned by a distribution company on the
condition that only limited and ancillary electrical installation work that is necessary as
part of the metering work is carried out. To maintain the integrity and safety of the
customers electrical installation the work must be carried out by a person who
(i) possesses the qualifications, proficiency, competency and experience to at least
Certificate III level or equivalent as a lineworker, meter technician or electrician to
enable that work to be performed; and
(ii) has been properly trained in the safety aspects and limitations in relation to that work;
and
(iii) has satisfactorily completed a course and practical assessment in accordance with
the Certificate III ESI Distribution (Power Line) Metering Installations Unit or
demonstrated equivalent competency; and
(iv) undertakes testing in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian Electricity
Supply Industry (VESI): Installation Supply Connection Tests & Procedures manual to
ensure integrity of supply to the customers main or occupancy switchboard or
equipment to be supplied and the correct operation of metering equipment; and
(v) prior to enabling the electrical installation to be used by the customer verifies as far
as practicable that the installation is safe to energise; or
(vi) is working under supervision as allowed under section 39 of the Electricity Safety
Act 1998 and such supervision is provided by a person who satisfies sub-paragraphs
(i) through to (v) of this paragraph.

Electricity Safety Act 1998

Definitions
Electricity supplier means a person who supplies electricity to another person.
Electrical installation means electrical equipment that is fixed or to be fixed in, on, under or over
any land but does not include a supply network that is owned or operated by a
major electricity company;
Electrical installation work means installation, alteration, repair or maintenance of an electrical
installation

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Section 44
(1) A licensed electrical installation worker must ensure that all electrical installation work carried
out by that worker
(a) Complies with this Act (Electricity Safety Act 1998) and the regulations (Electricity
Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009); and
(b) Is tested in accordance with and at intervals required by regulations before it is
connected to the electricity supply.
Penalty:

40 penalty units.

Section 45
(2) Before an electricity supplier first connects an electrical installation to an electricity supply, the
electricity supplier must ensure that a certificate of inspection of the prescribed electrical
installation work in relation to that installation has been issued by a licensed electrical
inspector in accordance with this section.
Penalty:

In the case of a natural person, 40 penalty units;

In the case of a body corporate, 200 penalty units.

Victorian Electricity Distribution Companies (MECs)

ALINTA AE LIMITED

ABN 82 064 651 083

UNITED ENERGY DISTRIBUTION PTY LTD

ABN 70 064 651 029

POWERCOR AUSTRALIA LIMITED

ABN 89 064 651 109

CITIPOWER PTY

ABN 76 064 651 056

SPI ELECTRICITY PTY LTD

ABN 91 064 561 118

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