Online connection application service - myEnergy help

The United Energy 2022-23 Pricing Proposal.

This will be dependent on the type of job. Refer to the United Energy 2022-23 Pricing Proposal.

Wasted visit fees are charge if the site is not ready for connection when our field crews arrive. The fee may also be charge where access to the meter panel and switchboard is restricted or unsafe.

If you are unsure why you have been charged a waisted visit fee you can contact your energy retailer or contact the United Energy General Enquiries line on 1300 131 689

1. Before solar equipment is installed, the customer or REC will need to submit a Solar Pre-Approval (SPA) to determine the export limitation and confirm system size.
2. After installation and inspection has been completed the REC or LEW will need to submit an alteration request via myEnergy.
3. United Energy will send the paperwork to the customer’s retailer to request a service order.
4. When the service order has been received, we will complete the meter reconfiguration within 20 working days.

If an Embedded Generation system is over 30kW this becomes a Negotiated Embedded Generator Connection. The customer will need to submit a Connection Application via myEnergy by clicking ‘New Applications’ > ‘Connect or upgrade embedded generation’ > ‘Embedded generation connection over 30kVA’.

This will undergo a technical assessment and a response will be sent within approximately 5 days. The response will confirm if the application is satisfactory to proceed to be registered as a project or if there is outstanding information or further information required.

If the customer or REC would like an estimated result in less than 5 days, they can submit a ‘Preliminary Assessment’ which will estimate the available export within 10 minutes. However, to finalise the connection they will still need to undergo the Connection Application and technical assessment.

United Energy requires a mandatory Solar Pre-Approval to:

• ensure solar/battery exports are fairly and equitably available to all customers
• ensure customers and their representatives are better informed about network conditions to inform solar and battery system selection
• improve customer experience with their solar and battery systems by reducing system outages and improving power quality
• help maintain voltage compliance for all customers in their neighbourhood.

Pre-approval is required for all solar, battery and, in future, electrical vehicle installations.

Embedded Generation systems greater than 30kVA total inverter capacity must be applied for separately via United Energy’s Negotiated Connection process.

Anyone can apply for micro embedded generation pre-approval, including customers or their representatives, including solar retailers, accredited solar installers, RECs or LEWs.

Applicants will need to register on myEnergy. Once they have registered and logged in, they can submit a Pre-Approval under ‘New Applications’.

Pre-approval outcomes may be:

• approved as applied for
• approved with a lower export amount, or
• approved for self-consumption but export unavailable.

Where the approval outcome is lower than applied for, or export is unavailable, United Energy will send the applicant an email inviting them to reapply for pre-approval if network capacity becomes available in future.

The pre-approval outcome will be determined within a few minutes in most cases.

Where a pre-approval outcome cannot be determined, United Energy will need to conduct further assessment internally to determine the approval outcome. The customer will be sent an email advising them that United Energy is completing further assessment and will notify them of the outcome via email when this has been completed. If a manual assessment is required, this can take up to five days.

We use smart meter data to understand the power quality in the area. This includes the level of solar penetration in the area, the impact that additional export will have on the power quality in the neighbourhood, and the capacity of existing assets. We aim to enable most customers to export the amount of excess solar they are looking for. Sometimes, this is not possible due to the capacity of the network in the neighbourhood.

Pre-approval is valid up to 120 days post the pre-approval outcome being issued. Once pre-approval has expired, a new pre-approval application must be obtained.

MSO Pre-Approval Expiry

If the pre-approval system capacity and export amounts are in accordance with United Energy’s Model Standard Offer (MSO) for Basic Micro Embedded Generation Connections, then the pre-approval lasts for 120 days from the date of approval being issued.

Generation Deed Pre-Approval Expiry

If the pre-approval system capacity and export amounts are outside the amounts specified in the Model Standard Offer (MSO), then a Generation Deed contract is required. Customers, or their authorised representative, have 30 days from the issuing of the pre-approval to sign and return the Generation Deed contract to United Energy. The pre-approval will then last for a further 90 days. If a customer or their representative does not submit a signed copy of the Generation Deed contract within 30 days of it being issued, then the pre-approval will expire, and the applicant will need to reapply.

The end customer (NMI owner at the site address being applied for) and the applicant will receive a copy of the pre-approval outcome via email. The applicant will have the opportunity to nominate up to three additional parties to receive a copy of the pre-approval outcome, such as a Solar Retailer, non-Solar Retailer, REC/LEW (if not the applicant) or any other party.

The pre-approval outcome will be sent to the customer, applicant, and any other party whose details are added in the pre-approval application via email.

Yes. Customers can apply to increase the amount they want to export at any time.

Preliminary Assessments are submitted via myEnergy by selecting ‘New Applications’, then ‘Connect or upgrade embedded generation’, then ‘Request a preliminary assessment (30kVA-1MVA)’.

No. You still need to apply via myEnergy. Once the technical review has been completed, we will issue an agreement. You can commence installing once the Connection Agreement is executed.

You can still submit the Connection Application via myEnergy. We will get back to you during the technical and planning assessments if we ca allow greater export. This may involve additional cost for network augmentation.

This means that you can connect your embedded generation system, however, the network cannot accommodate export of excess generation in your area at this time. It is important that you factor this into your decision when choosing the size of the system you wish to install.

The SPA may no be finalised as we have not received the Generation Agreement or SLD. This can be uploaded to the SPA via myEnergy. Alternatively, the documents provided may not be valid. If this is the case, you will have an outstanding Pending Action in myEnergy.

Systems up to 10kVa, with a 5kVa export on a single or 2-phase site or 30kVA with a 15kVa export on a three-phase site are covered by the Model Standing Offer (MSO) which is available on our website and approved by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

Systems larger that these limits must follow a negotiated connection services process which requires a Generator Agreement to be signed for the site. The Generator Agreement is signed by the customer or a representative.

When they system is over 30kVA you must submit a SLD and associated documentation as part of your application submission.

Injection testing is not required for systems under 30kVA. If the installation is above 30kVA, injection testing is mandatory to ensure compliance to AS4777.1 installation requirements and additional anti islanding protection to prevent the generator from operating and feeding back to the grid when the grid supply is lost.

For inverter system sizes greater than 5kVa, the output should be balanced across multiple phases. No more than 5kVa imbalance between any phase is allowed. This requirement is applicable to 3 wire single phase (new standard: 230/460V, old standard: 240/480V) and three phase supplies (new standard: 230/400V, old standard: 240/415V).

Yes. As per AS 4777.1:2016 3.3.3 guidelines voltage rise must be less than 2% from the point of supply to the AC terminals of the inverter.