From supporting communities during natural disasters to enabling smarter energy choices and shaping the future of renewables, Essential Energy has won two awards after being named a finalist in three categories at the 2025 Energy Networks Australia (ENA) Awards.

Held on 11 September in Melbourne, the awards recognised Essential Energy for Individual Contribution, Industry Innovation and Consumer Engagement.

Electrical Engineer Hadi Lomei won the Individual Contribution category for his contribution and leadership in advancing Essential Energy’s renewable energy connection processes, a critical component when it comes to progressing the energy transition. Through Hadi’s expertise in power modelling, he has helped streamline how renewable projects connect to the network, improving efficiency and strengthening the collaboration with key stakeholders such as AEMO and EnergyCo.

His work has delivered real impact for customers by supporting the integration of clean energy projects that will benefit communities across regional, rural and remote New South Wales. Hadi also co-developed the University of Wollongong’s Master of Power Engineering course, helping build sector capability and supporting the next generation of energy professionals.

Darrin Edwards, Manager for Distribution Project Development explains that Hadi’s work and contributions are well respected within the organisation and industry as a whole.

“The industry is extremely fortunate to have such an engaged and committed resource actively working to improve the connections process and improve the skills and knowledge of others,” Darrin said.

Essential Energy’s breakthrough on how customers can interact and benefit from the energy system through sector-wide innovation of Vehicle to Grid (V2G) won the Industry Innovation category. Developed in partnership with CSIRO, Sigenergy and AUSEV, the launch of Australia’s first market-ready V2G solution is enabling customers to use their electric vehicles (EVs) as flexible energy assets.

Tested at Essential Energy’s Innovation Hub in Port Macquarie, the technology will enable customers to use their EVs to power their homes, support the grid and potentially export energy back into the market.

Brad Trethewey, John Cleland and Scott Purnell with the ENA Award for Industry Innovation.

Brad Thomas, General Manager Asset Management and Engineering explains that by turning EVs into dynamic energy resources, the initiative delivers real value to households, supports grid stability, and helps accelerate the clean energy transition.

“V2G will give customers more control over their energy use and unlock new value from their investments. We’re proud to be leading the way in making V2G a practical, scalable solution for customers across regional, rural and remote New South Wales,” Brad said.

While the future of energy is being shaped by innovation and new technology, it’s equally important we remain equipped for the challenges of today, including the increasing frequency and severity of storms. Essential Energy was also a finalist in the Consumer Engagement category for the organisation’s industry-leading communications response to the October 2024 blackout in Far West NSW, where a tornado damaged the transmission line feeding Broken Hill and left more than 12,000 customers without power.

Essential Energy set a new standard for customer-focused crisis communications, developing a response to the event that prioritised clear and compassionate messaging, with more than 352,000 SMS alerts sent, daily press conferences alongside government leaders, and culturally appropriate outreach through First Nations engagement teams.

Sian Taylor, Acting Head of Communications, explained that the approach has since been embedded into future disaster protocols, forming the basis for continual improvement in how energy providers can support communities during emergencies.

“The collaborative response from our teams across the organisation has been instrumental in developing our process for helping our customers to stay informed and feel supported during difficult times,” Sian said.

Together these nominations reflect Essential Energy’s commitment across the organisation to deliver innovative, impactful solutions to customers across regional, rural and remote New South Wales. As the energy landscape continues to evolve, we’re proud of our teams for their efforts to build a more resilient and inclusive future for our communities.