The Energy Efficiency Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Electricity Licensing and Energy Efficiency N.I.

8.  After Article 11AB of the Electricity Order insert the following Article—

“Licensing and Energy Efficiency

11AC.— (1) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 11(1), a licence shall include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to ensure that any activity authorised by it is carried out in accordance with the requirements and prohibitions laid down by the Energy Efficiency Directive and referred to in the following paragraphs.

(2) Subject to paragraph (7), the conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a licence under Article 10(1)(c) include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to require, where a customer of the licence holder takes a supply of electricity through a smart meter, that the licence holder ensures that—

(a) the meter complies with the relevant requirements of Article 9(2)(a) and 10(2) and, where the customer so requests, Article 9(2)(c) of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(b) the customer is provided with the information required by Article 9(2)(a) and 10(2) of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(c) the information required by Article 10(2)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided in the format so required;

(d) where the customer so requests, the customer or another person acting on the customer’s behalf is provided with the information required by Article 9(2)(d) of the Energy Efficiency Directive in a format so required;

(e) the meter and any information provided by it is secure as required by Article 9(2)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(f) the advice and information required by Article 9(2)(e) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to the customer.

(3) The conditions included in the licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a licence under Article 10(1)(c) also include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to require, where a customer of the licence holder does not take a supply of electricity through a smart meter, that the licence holder ensures that any bill or statement of account provided to the customer complies with the requirements of Article 10(1) of and paragraph 1.1 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive.

(4) The conditions included in the licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a licence under Article 10(1)(c) also include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to require that the licence holder ensures that—

(a) the information required by Article 10(3)(a) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided, where it is available and the customer to whom it relates so requests, to an energy service provider designated by the customer;

(b) any bill or statement of account sent to a customer—

(i) contains the information required by Article 10(3)(c) of and paragraph 1.2 and 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(ii) complies with the guidance issued and published by the Authority, in particular for the purposes referred to in Article 10(3)(d) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(iii) if the customer so requests, is in an electronic format.

(c) where a customer so requests, the information required by Article 10(3)(b) of the Energy Efficiency Directive is provided to the customer;

(d) any customer taking a supply of electricity from the licence holder is provided with the information required by paragraph 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive in contract documentation;

(e) any information provided to a customer in accordance with any conditions included under this paragraph is provided in a timely manner and in an easily understandable format for the purposes referred to in Article 10(3)(e) of the Energy Efficiency Directive; and

(f) a charge is not made in respect of any bill or statement of account sent to a customer or in respect of any information provided to the customer (whether in the bill or statement of account or otherwise) contrary to Article 11(1) of the Energy Efficiency Directive.

(5) The conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall, in particular, in the case of a transmission licence include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to ensure that—

(a) in relation to network regulation and network tariffs, the requirements of Article 15(1) fourth indent of and Annex XI to the Energy Efficiency Directive are complied with;

(b) the licence holder complies with the requirements of Article 15(5), third indent of and Annex XII to the Energy Efficiency Directive in relation to electricity from high efficiency co generation;

(c) where Article 15(6) of the Energy Efficiency Directive requires the licence holder to be responsible for conducting balancing services and other operational services—

(i) such services are part of a service bidding process which is transparent, non discriminatory and open to scrutiny in accordance with the requirements of that provision; and

(ii) in meeting the requirements for such services and ancillary services, the licence holder complies with Article 15(8), second indent of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(d) the licence holder carries out the tasks required by Article 15(8), third indent of the Energy Efficiency Directive for the purposes set out therein.

(6) The conditions included in a licence in accordance with paragraph (1) shall in particular in the case of a distribution licence include such conditions as appear to the grantor to be requisite or expedient to ensure that—

(a) any customer taking a supply of electricity distributed by the licence holder is provided with the information required by paragraph 1.3 of Annex VII to the Energy Efficiency Directive in contract documentation;

(b) in relation to network regulation and network tariffs, the requirements of Article 15(1), fourth indent of and Annex XI to the Energy Efficiency Directive are complied with;

(c) the licence holder complies with the requirements of Article 15(5), third indent and Annex XII to the Energy Efficiency Directive in relation to electricity from high efficiency co generation;

(d) where Article 15(6) of the Energy Efficiency Directive requires the licence holder to be responsible for conducting balancing services and other operational services—

(i) such services are part of a service bidding process which is transparent, non discriminatory and open to scrutiny in accordance with the requirements of that provision; and

(ii) in meeting the requirements for such services and ancillary services, the licence holder, complies with Article 15(8), second indent of the Energy Efficiency Directive;

(e) the licence holder carries out the tasks required by Article 15(8), third indent for the purposes set out therein.

(7) The duty on the Authority in paragraph (2) to include conditions in a licence shall only have effect where the Department—

(a) has determined that it is technically possible, financially reasonable and proportionate in relation to the potential energy savings to implement a programme for the widespread provision of smart meters; and

(b) notifies the Authority in writing to that effect.

(8) In this Article—

(a) “the Energy Efficiency Directive” means the European Parliament and Council Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, amending Directive 2009/125/EC and 2010/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC;

(b) “smart meter” means—

(i) an electricity meter which can send and receive information using an electronic communications network; or

(ii) an electricity meter and a device which is associated with or ancillary to that meter and which enables information to be sent and received by the meter using an electronic communication network;

(c) “electronic communication” has the same meaning as in Section 4(1) of the Electronic Communications Act (Northern Ireland) 2001; and

(d) other expressions which are also used in the Energy Efficiency Directive shall have the same meaning as in that Directive.”.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 8 in operation at 25.7.2014, see reg. 1