The NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism is a last-resort safety measure being introduced in late 2026 to protect the electricity grid during rare emergency conditions known as Minimum System Load events.
During rare periods of excess rooftop solar and low demand, the Australian Energy Market Operator may direct networks to temporarily limit exports or pause generation to help prevent outages. In practice, this means Essential Energy would send a signal to eligible solar systems to temporarily reduce exports or pause generation for a short time.
Watch the video below showing how the backstop mechanism works or explore the full video series.
Solar industry changes from November 2026
NSW CER Installer Portal to register, test and commission all new and upgraded solar systems up to 200kW.
Connection applications submitted and approved from this date will automatically create jobs in the NSW CER Installer Portal for installers to complete. Applications submitted before 2 November will continue through the existing connection process.
From 2 November 2026 to February 2027:
Emergency backstop requirements will gradually rollout by postcode, until all areas of NSW are included by early February 2027.
If required, dates may shift to support a smoother transition.
Before quoting or installing equipment, check the list of supported devices for emergency backstop and flexible exports. These are CSIP-AUS compliant and have been onboarded by Essential Energy.
Flexible exports available:
Customers with backstop-enabled systems can select flexible exports of up to 10kW per phase in the connection application.
For solar retailers, applicants and installers
How to prepare
- Complete the CER Installer Portal training.
- Register for CER Installer Portal accounts from 2 November 2026.
- From 2 November 2026 use the CER Installer Portal to manage new and upgraded solar installations. Solar retailers allocate jobs to installers, who then register, test and commission the systems in the portal.
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Systems requiring backstop
Solar installers must make all new and upgraded rooftop solar systems backstop-enabled from late-2026 and register them in the NSW Government’s Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Installer Portal. Existing rooftop solar systems will not be affected.
NSW Emergency Backstop Mechanism requirements will be rolled out gradually by postcode in parallel with the CER Installer Portal.
Where a premises lacks reliable internet connectivity, new equipment must still be CSIP-AUS compliant. However, a low static export limit (to be specified within the connection agreement) must be configured by the installer at the time of installation and will apply until connectivity is available.
To find out the latest information about these initiatives, including timing and key dates, visit the NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism and CER Installer Portal web pages.
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Installing backstop-enabled systems
‘Backstop-enabled’ rooftop systems can communicate with the distribution network’s utility server through the internet and receive signals that temporarily reduce exports or, pause generation when AEMO instructs an emergency backstop.
A rooftop solar installation will be considered backstop enabled if it:
- contains CSIP-AUS compliant equipment which is listed by the Clean Energy Council and is supported by Essential Energy.
- passes a capability test confirming connectivity to Essential Energy’s utility server via the internet. This test is conducted using the NSW CER Installer Portal.
Choice of flexible export limits
Customers with backstop enabled systems can choose between flexible export limits and low fixed export limits. Flexible export limits can allow more solar energy to be exported when there is capacity in the local network, while fixed limits apply at the same level throughout the day.
For more information on fixed and flexible export limits, visit the solar page.
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Using the NSW Government’s Customer Energy Resource (CER) Installer Portal
The CER Installer Portal will be a single, smart digital compliance platform for new and upgraded rooftop installations up to (and including) 200kW. Use of the portal will be phased in from late-2026.
The portal will ensure that all new and upgraded rooftop solar systems up to (and including) 200kW:
- include solar inverters that comply with a new standard (CSIP-AUS) enabling them to be ‘backstop enabled’
- are accurately registered with the NSW Government, relevant distribution network provider and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
- can undergo a capability test validating they are ‘backstop enabled’.
For more information visit the NSW Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Emergency backstop and SCADA requirements for HV embedded generation
Communication and control requirements are being updated for embedded generators connecting to the High Voltage (HV) network to comply with amended licence conditions introduced by the NSW Government to support an Emergency Backstop Mechanism.
Learn about emergency backstop requirements for High Voltage embedded generation.
Information for technology providers (including OEMs and aggregators)
From late-2026, technology providers and manufacturers of consumer energy resources will need to comply with new standards introduced through the NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism. Essential Energy has partnered with other distribution networks in NSW and the ACT to prepare information to help you understand how to comply.
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Certification and listing requirements
The NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism will require all new and upgrading solar inverters to have a software communication client compliant with the Australian Standard ‘Common Smart Inverter Profile – Australia’ (CSIP-AUS). From late-2026 the version of CSIP-AUS in force will be Standards Australia Technical Specification SA TS 5573:2025.
Essential Energy will not require original equipment manufacturers (OEM) or aggregators to specifically test and certify their products against our network’s utility server.
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Onboarding to the Essential Energy utility server
As well as selecting an inverter that is CSIP-AUS compliant, OEMs and aggregators operating in NSW and the ACT must onboard with each relevant distribution network before the inverter can be installed and commissioned. The onboarding process will enable OEMs and aggregators to receive the digital certificates necessary for an inverter’s software communications client to communicate with Essential Energy’s utility server.
This process will be common across all NSW and ACT distribution networks. Download the NSW/ACT Utility Interconnection Handbook for detailed information about the onboarding process.
The onboarding process includes:
- Application: The OEM or aggregator must complete this form
- Preliminary approval
- Basic communication test
- Full application: The applicant must complete Part B of the ‘Utility Server Access Agreement’ in the NSW/ACT Utility Interconnection Handbook. This includes declarations that the applicant has read, understood, and will abide by:
- The Common Cyber Security Requirements for DER
- The Utility Server Access Principles, found in Appendix B of the NSW/ACT Utility Interconnection Handbook.
- Approval and onboarding.
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More information for technology providers
To find out the latest project information, including timing and key dates, visit the NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism and CER Installer Portal webpages .
Technology providers, OEMs or aggregators with further questions on the use of CSIP-AUS for the NSW Emergency Backstop Mechanism in the Essential Energy area can also email [email protected].
Published documents
Useful links
