- Published:
- Thursday 5 November 2026 at 1:14 pm
Energy Safe Victoria has charged an electrical contracting business and its sole director with a total of 23 offences relating to unsafe home solar and battery systems installed at three Victorian properties between April 2022 and May 2023.
Shepherd's Field Electrics faces 14 charges and electrician Nidal Qumsieh faces nine charges under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 for permitting or carrying out non-compliant electrical work, failing to comply with a rectification notice, and submitting false or misleading information to Energy Safe.
Energy Safe began investigating after receiving two separate reports of electrical defects at three homes. Unsafe battery installations at properties in Preston and Williamstown were identified through Solar Victoria’s 2023–24 audit program, while a Licensed Electrical Inspector found safety issues with a third home battery at Drouin in August 2024.
The alleged offending relates to defects that did not comply with Australian Standards for solar and battery installations, as well as an alleged failure to rectify those defects after being directed to do so by the regulator. At one property, Energy Safe alleges an immediately unsafe installation left the potential for metal taps to be energised in certain circumstances, creating a risk of electric shock for anyone who touched them.
Energy Safe further alleges that the accused provided a series of photographs claiming to show completed rectification work but instead appear to depict a different property and installation.
At the time of the alleged conduct, the offences carried maximum penalties ranging from $19,231 and $46,230 per charge under the Electricity Safety Act 1998.
Shepherd's Field Electrics and Mr Qumsieh will appear at Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on 11 November 2026.
Energy Safe. Always.
Media contact: April Dudgeon | 0498 188 117 | media@energysafe.vic.gov.au
Reviewed