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Ausgrid is streamlining applications and cutting fees for customers installing solar panels and battery storage.
In coming months, all solar and battery systems up to 30 kilowatts in size will be fast-tracked, saving customers more than $200 on their applications.
Acting CEO Trevor Armstrong said people needing a new or upgraded connection will also be able to apply using a single, online form.
“These changes will make it easier and cheaper for our customers to become more energy efficient,” Mr Armstrong said. “By cutting red tape, fees and processing times, we can help more homes and businesses across our network install solar and battery systems.
“This can also make the grid more efficient and help save all our customers long-term by reducing the need to build more capacity into the network.” Ausgrid supplies electricity to almost 1.7 million customers in Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter.
Mr Armstrong said around 100,000 customers had already installed embedded generation, usually residential rooftop photovoltaic systems.
“We get about 10,000 applications a year for embedded generation systems of up to 30kW,” he said.
“Up to one in ten are for larger micro-generation systems, which previously required a more detailed technical assessment.
“We no longer see a need for this assessment based on the lower risk associated with these systems. “This change will save these customers about $200 in fees per application and reduce processing times to about ten working days.”
The new application process removes the requirement for a more detailed technical assessment of systems sized from 5-10 kilowatts for single-phase connections and 15-30 kilowatts for three-phase connections.
Customers installing these systems will soon be able to fill out a single online form and will no longer need to pay a technical assessment fee. The changes are due to start later this year.