The Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Exceptions from duty to supply

20.—(1) Nothing in Article 19(1) shall be taken as requiring a public electricity supplier to give a supply of electricity to any premises if—

(a) such a supply is being given to the premises by a private electricity supplier; and

(b) that supply is given (wholly or partly) through the public electricity supplier’s electric lines and electrical plant.

(2) Nothing in Article 19(1) shall be taken as requiring a public electricity supplier to give a supply of electricity to any premises if and to the extent that—

(a) he is prevented from doing so by circumstances not within his control; or

(b) circumstances exist by reason of which his doing so would or might involve his being in breach of regulations under Article 32, and he has taken all such steps as it was reasonable to take both to prevent the circumstances from occurring and to prevent them from having that effect; or

(c) it is not reasonable in all the circumstances for him to be required to do so.

(3) Paragraph (2)(c) shall not apply in relation to a supply of electricity which is being given to any premises unless the public electricity supplier gives to the occupier, or to the owner if the premises are not occupied, not less than 7 working days' notice of his intention to discontinue the supply under that sub-paragraph.