Energy Safe Victoria
Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is the independent safety regulator responsible for electricity, gas and pipeline safety in Victoria. ESV is a statutory authority that also licences electricians, manages the Certificate of Electrical Safety Program, conducts community safety campaigns, ensure electrical and gas products are approved and safe for use, and investigates gas, pipeline and electrical incidents.
ESV’s role is broad and ranges from accepting industry’s safety cases and safety management schemes for the design, construction operation and maintenance of electricity, gas and pipeline networks across the state to regulating against standards and administering regulations covering gas and electrical appliances and installations.
Mitigation
| Activity | Critical task alignment / activity source |
|---|
| Gas: | |
- Administer regulations and codes to ensure gas safety and associated risks are minimised as far as practicable through: reviewing and monitoring and auditing compliance of networks, appliances, gas equipment, gas components, gas installations, gas related services and the conveyance, sale, supply, measurement, control and use of gas with the specified safety standards or accepted gas safety cases; and enforce compliance where regulated entities are in breach of their legislative obligations.
| 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 5.4, 21.2 |
- Involvement in collective working groups (energy sectors and government agencies) in energy emergency planning and preparedness activities (e.g. development of emergency response and communication protocols and processes; annual emergency exercises; continuous improvement reviews of protocols and processes)
| 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 |
- Conduct community engagement and gas safety awareness campaigns and programs
| 2.1, 2.2 |
| Electricity: | |
- Administer regulations and codes to ensure electricity safety and associated risks are minimised as far as practicable through reviewing, monitoring and auditing the compliance of electrical infrastructure, electrical installations, electrical equipment and vegetation with the specified safety standards, accepted electricity safety management schemes or prescriptive legislation; and enforce compliance where regulated entities are in breach of their legislative obligations.
| 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 5.4, 21.2 |
- Involvement in collective working groups (energy sectors and government agencies) in energy emergency planning and preparedness activities (e.g. development of emergency response and communication protocols and processes; annual emergency exercises; continuous improvement reviews of protocols and processes)
| 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 |
- Administer regulations and codes that monitor and ensure the prevention and mitigation of bushfires that arise out of incidents involving electric lines or vegetation close to electric lines
| 1.1, 7.1 |
- Conduct community engagement and electricity safety awareness campaigns and programs
| 2.1, 2.2 |
Pipelines: - Administer Regulations to ensure safety of pipeline construction and operation and associated risks are minimised as far as practicable through reviewing, monitoring and auditing the compliance of pipeline construction and operations with the specified safety standards and accepted construction and operational safety management plans; and enforce compliance where regulated entities are in breach of their legislative obligations.
| 1.1. 1.3, 5.4 |
Participating agency for the following electricity supply disruption mitigation activities: - Legislative framework, e.g. Electricity Industry Act 2000, Electricity Safety Act 1998, associated regulations, national electricity laws and rules, and critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the Emergency Management Act 2013
- Public awareness
- Maintenance inspections
- Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises
| Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation |
Participating agency for the following safety of gas supply disruption mitigation activities: - Legislative and regulatory framework, including Gas Industry Act 2001, Gas Safety Act 1997 and associated Gas Safety Cases, National Gas Law and National Gas Regulations, critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the EM Act 2013
- Public awareness
| Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation |
| Participating agency for the mine, quarry and petroleum (exploration or production site) emergency mitigation activity: Legislation, regulation and enforcement of legislation including, but not limited to, the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 and regulations (licensing and approvals process for operators of mines, quarries and coal mines), EM Act 2013, EM (Critical Infrastructure Resilience) Regulations 2015, Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and Regulations 2014, Energy Safe Victoria Act 2005, and Petroleum Act 1998 | Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation |
Response (including Relief)
| Activity | Critical task alignment / activity source |
|---|
| Gas: | |
- Exercise powers conferred to ESV to issue directions to make safe of a gas emergency; and to facilitate the reliability of gas supply and security of the gas system
| 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 5.4, 11.1, 11.3 |
- Contribute investigatory, regulatory and technical expertise to support or lead the investigation of gas related incidents
| 8.5, 11.1, 19.1 |
- Provide safety and technical advice to support overall strategies and decision making for responding to gas emergency events (including safety of any relief program for temporary gas supply to the community)
| 4.5, 4.6 |
| Electricity: | |
- Exercise powers conferred to ESV to issue directions to make safe an unsafe electricity situation
| 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 5.4, 11.1, 11.3 |
- Provide safety and technical advice to support overall strategies and decision making for responding to electricity emergency events (including the safety of any relief program for temporary electricity supply to community)
| 4.5, 4.6 |
- Contribute investigatory, regulatory and technical expertise to support or lead the investigation of electricity related incidents
| 8.5, 11.1, 19.1 |
- Provide information and guidance to local communities to expedite the safe restoration of supply to properties affected by bushfire
| 2.1, 2.5 |
| Pipelines: | |
- Contribute investigatory, regulatory and technical expertise to support and/or conduct investigations of pipeline related incidents
| 11.1, 19.1 |
- Intervene as required as the relevant Minister(s) delegate to ensure appropriate action is taken by all relevant parties for safety reasons or the protection of the environment in the case of pipeline incidents
| 5.4, 11.3 |
Recovery
| Activity | Critical task alignment / activity source |
|---|
Gas: - Provide safety and technical advice to the energy control agency in order to support overall strategies and decision making for recovering from gas emergency events and any other state emergency events that may impact on the gas system (including safe restoration of gas supply)
| 19.1, 19.7, 19.8 |
Electricity: - Provide safety and technical advice to the energy control agency in order to support overall strategies and decision making for recovering from electricity emergency events and any other state emergency events that may impact on the electricity system (including the safe restoration of electricity supply)
| 19.1, 19.7, 19.8 |
Pipelines: - Intervene as required as the relevant Minister(s) delegate to ensure appropriate action is taken by all relevant parties for the health or safety of the public or rehabilitation of the environment in the case of pipeline incidents
| 5.4 |
| Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DEECA, as the lead government liaison, for electricity services asset reinstatement and return to reliable supply | Table 17: Recovery coordination: Built environment |
| Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DEECA, as the lead government liaison, for gas services asset reinstatement and return to reliable supply | Table 17: Recovery coordination: Built environment |
Assurance and Learning
For assurance and learning activities, refer directly to the agency for further information.
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.