Energy Networks Safety, Reliability and Compliance

IPART monitors compliance with safety and reliability obligations placed on electricity network operators in NSW. We also monitor compliance with licence conditions for gas and electricity networks. 

Compliance & Enforcement Priorities

Ensuring the safety and reliability of NSW’s energy networks is our top priority.

IPART is primarily focused on ensuring that all energy network operators and regulated entities comply with their legal obligations, including safety requirements such as safety of the public and people working on the networks, protection of property and safety risks arising from the loss of electrical supply, and licensing conditions. In line with IPART’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy, we adopt an outcomes and risk-based approach.

We support regulated entities by providing information and education and actively engage with them. At the same time, we hold them to account using a range of compliance and enforcement tools, including audits. 

Energy Networks Regulation (ENR) compliance and enforcement activities are guided by our compliance priorities. The ongoing safety and reliability of NSW’s energy networks underpin all of these priorities.

Energy Networks Regulation Compliance Priorities

Following consultation, ENR has introduced enduring priorities - areas that will remain a constant focus due to their long-term regulatory risks and potential for significant or serious consequences.

Our enduring priorities are:

Bush fire risk mitigation Bush fire risk continues to present the greatest consequence for harm to the people of NSW. Network operators must ensure management of bushfire risks.	Critical Infrastructure Licence condition compliance Critical infrastructure conditions aim to address cyber security risk and overseas threats to electricity infrastructure	Climate resilience Climate resilience requires network operators to withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate and climate change to ensure ongoing safety and reliability of the network.

Focus compliance and enforcement priorities

Every year we communicate our focus compliance and enforcement priorities. These focus priorities signal areas we see as presenting the greatest current or emerging risks. As a risk-based regulator, we proactively direct our compliance and enforcement resources towards these priority areas.

We also publish draft priorities for the following two years, providing network operators with a three-year outlook. These draft priorities are reviewed annually and finalised ahead of the coming year, maintaining a rolling three-year horizon.