Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act) members of the public can access information held by Ausgrid informally or formally.

While it is Ausgrid’s preference to process information requests informally, this is not always appropriate and will depend on the nature of the request. To assist you, we have provided guidance on the circumstances in which informal and formal requests should be made.

Informal Release

Informal release occurs when we are able to provide you with the information you are seeking without the need for a formal application. There are no fees associated with informal release and generally the information can be released quicker.

Requests for personal information (i.e. account information, meter readings, etc) and requests for specific information (i.e. the cause of an outage on a specific date, number of customers affected, etc) will generally be regarded as suitable for informal release.

Informal release is not suitable for requests requiring third party consultation or where large amounts of information are requested. In these circumstances, Ausgrid will require a formal access application to be submitted.

Formal Release

Under formal release, information is requested by submitting an access application form with an accompanying $30 application fee. Requests can only be processed where there is sufficient detail in the application to identify the information being requested. Depending on the scope of the request, additional processing fees may also be charged (for more information see fees and charges).

The advantages of formal processes are that there is greater certainty in terms of when the information is provided; and the applicant has a right to review Ausgrid’s decision to release or not release information.

Formal requests are best suited to circumstances where: