Emergency Backstop Mechanism and CER Installer Portal

The NSW Government’s Emergency Backstop Mechanism is a last-resort safety measure being introduced 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 how the backstop mechanism works below or explore the full video series.

Solar industry changes from November 2026

Download the checklist for key actions and links to training and step-by-step guidance.

NSW CER Installer Portal mandatory from 23 November 2026

Installers must use the NSW CER Installer Portal to register, test and commission all new and upgraded solar systems up to 200kW.

Applications submitted and approved from 23 November 2026 automatically create jobs in the NSW CER Installer Portal. Applications submitted before this date follow the existing connection process and fixed export limits will apply.

Backstop rollout starts 23 November 2026

Backstop requirements roll out by postcode, covering all of NSW by early February 2027.

Emergency backstop postcode checker Enter the installation postcode to see when backstop and flexible exports apply within the Essential Energy network.

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 from 23 November 2026

Customers with backstop-enabled systems can access flexible exports. See Flexible export options below.

Find out more about flexible exports.

For solar retailers, applicants and installers

How to prepare

Complete the CER Installer Portal training.
Register for CER Installer Portal accounts from 23 November 2026.
Use the CER Installer Portal from this date to manage new and upgraded solar installations.

Which portal to use and when

Portal: Essential Connections
Owner: Essential Energy
Use: Submit solar and battery connection applications and update device details before installation. These automatically create or update jobs in the NSW CER Installer Portal.

Portal: NSW CER Installer Portal
Owner: NSW Government (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water)
Use: Solar retailers allocate jobs to registered installers. Installers use the portal to register installation details, test and commission systems, and manage solar and battery compliance certificates (CCEW). Visit the CER Installer Portal support page for guidance.

Portal: BCNSW eCert Portal
Owner: Building Commission NSW
Use: Submit compliance certificates for other electrical work. From 23 November 2026, certificates for new and upgraded solar systems must be submitted through the NSW CER Installer Portal.
Check supported equipment

Before quoting, scheduling or installing a new or upgraded solar system, check that your inverter and software communications client (SCC) combination is supported by Essential Energy for backstop and flexible export limits. Supported devices are CSIP-AUS compliant and onboarded with Essential Energy.

Unsupported devices receive a fixed 1.5kW export limit until the manufacturer is onboarded to Essential Energy’s utility server.

View the list of supported inverters and software communications clients
Backstop requirements
Backstop requirements apply to new and upgraded solar systems as the rollout reaches each postcode. To be backstop-enabled, a system must:

use CSIP-AUS compliant equipment (meets SA TS 5573:2025) and be supported by Essential Energy

have reliable internet

have a successful capability test through the CER Installer Portal.

Approved connection applications in Essential Connections automatically create a job in the NSW CER Installer Portal. When an installer claims the job, the portal outlines the steps they need to complete to commission the system and whether a capability test is required.
Flexible export options

Solar retailers can select flexible exports in the connection application, choosing 1.5kW – 5kW or 1.5kW – 10kW per phase. Use the lower range where required by voltage rise calculations. Actual exports cannot exceed the inverter’s capacity.

Systems must be backstop-enabled and remain connected to the internet. If a system goes offline, a fixed 1.5kW export limit applies until connectivity is restored.

Visit the solar page for more about fixed and flexible export limits.
Using the NSW CER Installer Portal

From 23 November 2026, approved connection applications for new and upgraded solar and battery systems will automatically create jobs in the NSW CER Installer Portal.

Solar retailers allocate each job to a registered installer. The installer claims the job, then registers, tests and commissions the system in the portal.

Visit the NSW Government’s CER Installer Portal support page for step-by-step guides, videos, FAQs and help.

Emergency backstop and SCADA requirements for large and HV embedded generation

Communication and control requirements for large embedded generators, including those connecting to the High Voltage (HV) network, are being updated to meet amended NSW Government licence conditions supporting emergency backstop.

Learn about emergency backstop requirements for large and High Voltage embedded generation.

Information for technology providers, equipment manufacturers and aggregators

Technology providers must meet NSW emergency backstop requirements and onboard with each distribution network service provider before supported equipment can be commissioned.

Certification and listing requirements

New and upgraded solar inverters must use a Software Communications Client that complies with CSIP-AUS v1.2 under Standards Australia TS 5573:2025.

Essential Energy does not require providers to separately certify products against its utility server.
Onboarding to the Essential Energy utility server

Providers must onboard to receive the digital certificates their SCC needs to communicate with Essential Energy’s utility server.

The process is common across NSW and ACT networks. See the NSW/ACT Utility Interconnection Handbook for details.
More information and resources for technology providers
Technology providers with questions about CSIP-AUS can email [email protected].

Published documents

NSW/ACT Utility Interconnection Handbook

Common Cyber Security Requirements for DER

Useful links

Clean Energy Council – Inverters with software communication clients

Australian National University – National CSIP-AUS testing and certification service

About CSIP-AUS

Standards Australia Store – SA TS 5573:2025

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water