Preliminary accreditation and accreditation of generating stations
27.—(1) Paragraphs (2) to (9) shall apply to the granting and withdrawing of preliminary accreditation and accreditation of generating stations.
(2) Where a generating station in respect of which—
(a)consent under Article 39 of the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 has been obtained; or
(b)planning permission under the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991(1) has been granted
has not been commissioned, the Authority may, upon the application of the person who proposes to construct or operate the generating station, grant the station preliminary accreditation as being capable of generating electricity from eligible renewable sources.
(3) Where a generating station has been commissioned, the Authority may, upon application of its operator, grant the station accreditation for the purposes of Article 15(2).
(4) Where a generating station has been granted preliminary accreditation (and such preliminary accreditation has not been withdrawn) an application for its accreditation is validly made under paragraph (3), the Authority shall not grant that application if—
(a)in the Authority’s view there was a material change in circumstances since the preliminary accreditation was granted;
(b)the Authority has reason to believe that the information on which the decision to grant the preliminary accreditation was based was incorrect in a material particular; or
(c)there has been a change in applicable legislation since the preliminary accreditation was granted such that, had the application for preliminary accreditation been made under the amended legislation, it would not in the Authority’s view have been granted
but otherwise shall grant the application.
(5) The Authority may, in granting preliminary accreditation or accreditation, attach such conditions as appear to it to be appropriate.
(6) Where any of the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (7) apply, the Authority may—
(a)withdraw the preliminary accreditation or accreditation from any generating station;
(b)amend conditions attached to the preliminary accreditation or accreditation under paragraph (5);
(c)attach conditions to the preliminary accreditation or accreditation.
(7) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (6) are as follows—
(a)in the Authority’s view there has been a material change in the circumstances since the preliminary accreditation or accreditation was granted;
(b)any condition subject to which preliminary accreditation or accreditation was granted has not been complied with;
(c)the Authority has reason to believe that the information on which the decision to grant the preliminary accreditation or accreditation was based was incorrect in a material particular;
(d)there has been a change in applicable legislation since the preliminary accreditation or accreditation was granted such that, had the application for preliminary accreditation or accreditation been made under the amended legislation, it would not in the Authority’s view have been granted.
(8) The Authority shall notify the applicant in writing of—
(a)its decision on an application for preliminary accreditation or accreditation of a generating station;
(b)any conditions attached to the preliminary accreditation or accreditation; and
(c)any withdrawal of preliminary accreditation or accreditation.
(9) In providing written notification under paragraph (8), the Authority shall specify the date on which the grant or withdrawal or preliminary accreditation or accreditation is to take effect and, where applicable, the date on which any conditions attached to the preliminary accreditation or accreditation are to take effect.
(10) In paragraph (2), the reference to the person who proposes to construct the generating station shall include a person who arranges for the construction of the generating station.