What does an Ausgrid defect notice mean?
An Ausgrid defect notice records a non-compliance in an electrical installation or service installation. Ausgrid defines defects by reference to the applicable AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules, the Service and Installation Rules of NSW, its own requirements and relevant network standards.Ausgrid: Safety defects
The notice is not a quote. It is a safety and compliance document that should identify the problem and the time allowed for rectification. The correct first response is to preserve every page, record the reference and due date, and avoid making assumptions about which trade or ASP2 authorisation class will be needed.
Direct answer: Use the deadline printed on your notice. Ausgrid's public FAQ says defects not repaired within 21 days after notification may result in supply disconnection, but it also says extensions may be negotiable depending on severity. Contact Ausgrid if the allowed period cannot be met; do not assume an extension has been granted.Ausgrid: Safety defects
Is the situation dangerous right now?
If there is fire, sparking, a fallen or damaged powerline, exposed live equipment, an electric shock or tingle, smoke or a strong electrical burning smell, stop normal inspection. Keep people clear and do not touch the affected equipment. Call Triple Zero for fire or life-threatening danger and contact Ausgrid's 24-hour emergency line on 13 13 88.Ausgrid: Safety defects
Ausgrid classifies a major defect as a high-risk hazard to life, health or property. Its published examples include accessible exposed live terminals or conductors, earthing failures, very low insulation resistance, serious overloads, missing required overcurrent or RCD protection, incorrect polarity and mandatory tests not being carried out.Ausgrid: Electrical Defects
| What you observe | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fire, shock, exposed live parts, sparking or fallen line | Keep clear; call emergency/network services before normal rectification planning |
| Supply already disconnected or isolated | Treat restoration as priority work and confirm who controls reconnection |
| No active hazard, but a written notice has arrived | Preserve the notice, record the deadline and arrange a qualified review promptly |
| The wording is unclear | Send every page and safe site photos; do not select a repair from a generic price list |
Who is allowed to rectify an Ausgrid defect?
Ausgrid directs the customer to the original licensed electrical contractor or Accredited Service Provider who carried out the relevant work. If that contractor cannot be reached, Ausgrid says the customer will need to engage a licensed ASP Level 2 for relevant defect rectification.Ausgrid: Safety defects
That does not mean every defect automatically falls entirely within Level 2 contestable work. NSW defines Level 2 work as constructing or changing service lines between the distribution network and the point of connection, energising new or altered connections and working on certain customer-owned network devices at the main switchboard.NSW Government: ASP Scheme
An internal wiring, RCD or earthing defect may be licensed electrical contracting work. A point-of-attachment, overhead service, underground service, metering or disconnect/reconnect scope can require an ASP2 with the appropriate class and current Ausgrid authorisation. Mixed notices may need both.
What does the ASP2 class indicate?
Ausgrid's December 2025 Level 2 guideline identifies these capability classes: 2A disconnect/reconnect, 2B underground services, 2C overhead services and 2D metering/energising.Ausgrid: Level 2 Guidelines
| Notice appears to concern | Likely capability to verify | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead service or point of attachment | 2C and potentially 2A | Height, access, isolation and pole condition affect scope |
| Underground service | 2B and potentially 2A | Trenching, conduit, route and restoration may be separate |
| Metering or energising | 2D | Retailer, metering provider and switchboard condition can matter |
| Consumer mains or service protection | 2A plus route-specific capability | Final class depends on where the defect sits relative to the connection point |
| Internal switchboard, RCD, earthing or wiring | Licensed electrical contractor; ASP2 if service work is also needed | Do not assume a network class without reviewing the notice |
Accreditation alone is not the final check. NSW states that individual workers must also be authorised by the local distribution network service provider for work on or near that network.NSW Government: ASP Scheme
What evidence should you send before requesting a price?
A useful desktop review starts with all pages of the notice, not a cropped defect line. Include the reference number, notice date, rectification due date, safe wide and close-up photographs, property type, access constraints, current supply status and the contact who can approve access or an outage.
For strata or shared assets, identify whether the pole, service, switchboard or route serves one lot or common property. For underground work, include any available service plans and describe surfaces that would need restoration. Never approach a live asset or breach safe clearances to take a photograph.
Use Cable Co's free Level 2 Defect Notice Diagnostic to turn these facts into a personalised rectification brief before requesting a confirmed scope.
Which documents may close the defect?
Ausgrid requires a Notification of Service Work for applicable service work. Its guidance also describes the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work for applicable customer installation work.Ausgrid: Installation and service The final documentation depends on the actual defect, work boundary, connection application, inspection and testing requirements.
Ask the provider to state, in writing, who will coordinate Ausgrid, which applications or planned outages are included, what testing evidence will be provided, whether reinspection is expected and what event constitutes closure of the notice.
What can change the rectification cost?
The largest drivers are the affected asset, access height, current installation condition, number of defect items, isolation/reconnection, switchboard integration, civil work, traffic control, shared-property approval and the evidence available before attendance. A low advertised starting price is not a substitute for a written scope.
The Cable Co diagnostic provides an indicative planning range only when the answers support one. It is not an electrical inspection, network clearance, compliance certificate or fixed quote. Start the diagnostic or request a Level 2 scope review.