Installers search for each network by name because every network has its own portal and its own habits. The question is the same everywhere: where do I lodge, what do I need, and where does the reference go? This page lists the main networks and their areas, and then covers what they share. Details such as forms, thresholds and timeframes are the network’s to set, so check the current version on its site.
The main networks
| Network | State | Roughly where |
|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid | NSW | Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter |
| Endeavour Energy | NSW | Greater Western Sydney, the Illawarra and the Southern Highlands |
| Energex | QLD | South-east Queensland |
| Ergon Energy | QLD | Regional and rural Queensland |
| Powercor | VIC | Western and central-west Victoria |
| SA Power Networks | SA | Most of South Australia |
| Western Power | WA | The south-west, including Perth |
| TasNetworks | TAS | Tasmania |
| Evoenergy | ACT | Canberra |
Other Victorian and NSW areas are served by additional networks, such as CitiPower, United Energy, Jemena, AusNet and Essential Energy, so confirm the actual network for the address.
What every network shares
- An application per system. Expect the customer’s details, the NMI (the meter identifier), the inverter model and capacity, the panel capacity and, where relevant, the battery.
- Size and export rules. Systems are assessed against limits on inverter size, export and phase. Larger or three-phase systems need more.
- A decision. Approved, approved with conditions (such as an export limit), or refused with a reason.
- A reference number, which you keep. The network may also issue conditions that the inverter settings must follow.
Where the reference goes
For STC claims the approval reference is not a registry field in the way serials are, but it belongs on your job record, on any compliance checklist your trader runs and with the electrical certificate. For the difference between before and after, see whether distributor approval is needed before or after installation.
Network notes for installers
- NSW (Ausgrid, Endeavour). Applications go through the network’s connection portal, and the electrician’s certificate of compliance is also copied to the network. See CCEW in NSW.
- Queensland (Energex, Ergon). Both are part of the same group and use similar application pathways, but regional constraints are common in Ergon areas.
- Victoria (Powercor). Distributor applications sit alongside the Certificate of Electrical Safety. See Victoria’s CES.
- SA, WA, TAS, ACT. Each runs its own application and its own state-level certificate. See other states.
From the desk: keep a one-page cheat sheet per network, with the portal link, the date you last checked it and the quirks you have learnt. Networks update their forms more often than installers expect.
What this means for installers
The network application is a sales-stage task. Check size and export limits before you quote, so the customer is not surprised. Zone and export rules also shape the certificate value; see the STC calculator and zone ratings. For export caps see export limits by state. When your claim is ready, STC trading and how it works explain the next step.