Embedded network metering

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to assist the electrical industry to understand their responsibilities as required by

• the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act)
• the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 and
• exemptions made by Orders–in-Council published in the Government gazette

in relation to electricity metering.

Specifically, the difference between the metering owned by a Major Electricity Company (MEC – distribution business) and private metering provider businesses including embedded network operators.

Application

These technical and safety requirements apply in Victoria through Energy Safe Victoria’s legislation and are to be applied in conjunction with

• the National Electricity Rules, administered by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER)
• Embedded Network licencing obligations administered by the Essential Services Commission (ESC).

These requirements apply to metering provider businesses and embedded network operators that coordinate the installation or replacement of metering equipment for customer installations and embedded networks where non-MEC metering is to be installed.

These requirements apply to both low and high voltage electrical installations.

These requirements do not apply to MEC metering.

Compliance

The installation of non-MEC metering equipment (as is the case with any other electrical installation work) requires the person or company providing that service to:

• be a Registered Electrical Contractor
• employ licensed electrical workers to perform the work
• ensure any prescribed work is inspected by a Licensed Electrical Inspector
• issue certificates of electrical safety (COES) in relation to that work.

Safety standard

An owner or operator of an embedded network must ensure that:

• any person who is carrying out electrical installation work on the embedded network is appropriately licensed to carry out that work
• the embedded network is safe and maintained and operated safely.

Before an owner or operator of an embedded network first connects an electrical installation to an electricity supply (the embeded network), the owner or operator of an embedded network 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 the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act).

Reporting of serious electrical incidents

An operator of an embedded network who becomes aware of any serious electrical incident occurring in relation to that embedded network must report a serious electrical incident to Energy Safe.

As soon as practicable after becoming aware that the serious electrical incident has occurred the operator of an embedded network

• must report, by telephone, to Energy Safe all details of the incident within the person's knowledge and
• within 20 business days after reporting the incident, give a written report of the incident to Energy Safe.

Reporting of other electrical incidents – accidental contact and electric shock

An operator of an embedded network who becomes aware of any serious electrical incident occurring in relation to that embedded network must report a serious electrical incident to Energy Safe.

Within 20 business days after becoming aware that a reportable electrical incident has occurred or is occurring, the operator of an embedded network must give a written report to Energy Safe Victoria that includes all details of the incident within the person's knowledge.

Lodge an incident report

Embedded networks

Greenfield and brownfield embedded networks require the installation of gate or 'parent' metering that records the energy consumption of the embedded network.

Generally, the gate metering equipment is owned by a MEC but under contestability rules this could be a non-MEC owned meter.

The 'child' metering is normally owned by the metering provider business or embedded network operator and records the energy consumption of each customer, but under the embedded network guidelines could remain or become a MEC-owned meter.

Guidance – types of electrical installation work

The installation or replacement of electricity billing meters only is non-prescribed electrical installation work and must comply with the minimum requirements of the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 and AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules.

The installation of electricity billing meters is determined to be non-prescribed electrical installation work when the consumer mains or sub-mains have been certified on a prescribed certificate of electrical safety by a licensed electrician and inspected by a licensed electrical inspector. All work on an embedded network must comply with the minimum requirements of the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 and AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules.

Meter provider

Meter installers, unless exempted, must be registered as a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) in compliance with the Electricity Safety Act 1998 Part 3, Division 1 – Registration of electrical contractors.