Public consultation – Making it easier to connect solar, batteries and EV chargers

The Department of Energy and Economic Diversification invites feedback on seven proposals to improve how distributed energy resources integrate into Western Australia’s southwest grid – the South West Interconnected System.

Last updated: 20 July 2026

The WA Government invites feedback on seven proposals to improve data quality and connection timeframes for DER. The proposals build on improvements we made to household connection rules in December 2025 and will further strengthen the crucial role that DER plays on Western Australia’s main grid – the South West Interconnected System.

We will use your feedback to develop detailed regulatory proposals for further consultation.

Please email feedback to epwa-submissions@deed.wa.gov.au by COB 5 pm (AWST) on Tuesday 18 August 2026.

We have summarised the reform proposals in the issues paper below.

Principle 1: Increasing DER standing data quality

Require all inverters up to 30 kVA to be CSIP-AUS (SA TS 5573:2025) enabled to support interoperability of DER devices. This is currently in place for Synergy customers, and the proposal would extend it to systems up to 30 kVA for all electricity retailers.
Establish Western Power functions to collect, validate, and share DER data to support good electricity demand forecasts
Indirect data collection for electric vehicle chargers, to balance better charger data with the need to keep connections simple at this stage of Western Australia’s EV uptake

Principle 2: Making it easier for businesses to connect DER

Simplify data requirements to make it easier to connect larger DER systems, such as businesses looking to install PV systems on warehouse roofs. We expect this will result in a single connections process for all systems up to 1 MVA, with faster and more straightforward commissioning using CSIP-AUS for systems up to 200 kVA.
New requirements for Western Power to share more information about its distribution network capacity. This would make it easier to target projects to parts of the network that can easily absorb extra electricity demand, such as public EV charging sites.

Principle 3: Better understanding how VPPs mitigate grid impacts and maximise opportunities they can deliver

Look at mechanisms for VPP operators to provide simple capacity data to AEMO.
Tie Western Power requirements to share network capacity information with VPP opportunities for customers.