/For your home
/Connecting your home
/Embedded networks

Embedded networks

Discover what embedded networks are, as well as what your rights and responsibilities are as an embedded network operator or customer.

Connecting your home

What is an embedded network?

Embedded networks are privately owned electricity networks that serve multiple premises, such as office buildings, retirement villages, shopping centres or caravan parks.

The private embedded network is connected to the Endeavour Energy network and uses a single metering location provided on the incoming supply. This single metering location is often referred to as the 'parent' connection point or gate metering point.

Embedded network operators

The owner of a site with an embedded network, or embedded network operator (ENO), operates and maintains the private electrical infrastructure past the parent connection point. The ENO buys energy from an energy retailer, then on-sells the electricity to the consumers at the site, splitting the network bill amongst the ‘child’ connection points. The end customer still has the option of choosing their own retailer and they do not have to use the same retailer that the ENO recommends.

Most ENOs don't need to become authorised as energy retailers, and are known as "exempt sellers." However, to protect your rights as a consumer, ENOs must adhere to certain rules and they must hold a valid exemption from the Australian Energy Regulator.

ENOs are responsible for:

Complying with regulatory requirements
Formulating contracts with end customers
Installing code-compliant metering
The maintenance of metering assets
Requesting child NMI from the company
Managing end customer tariffs, pricing and recovering Network Use of System
Billing end customers

How to tell if you're in an embedded network

If you are a part of an embedded network, the ENO will send a bill to you and each of the other customers within their network - similar to how other retailers send bills to everyone else.

From our perspective, the parent connection point is the sole customer. We only see the aggregated usage of the embedded network, not the specifics of each end customer’s energy consumption.

If a customer within an embedded network has any issues or concerns about their connection, they must contact the ENO, not Endeavour Energy.

If you are buying electricity from an exempt seller, your energy seller must tell you about your rights at the beginning of your contract or agreement. Your energy seller must also give you a copy of their exemption conditions and explain their obligations to you.