The Electricity Supply (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1994

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend regulation 30 of the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 (“the 1988 Regulations”) to require every supplier of low voltage electricity to consumers to supply, unless otherwise agreed between the supplier and the consumer, at 230 volts (reduced from 240 volts) between the phase and neutral conductors at the supply terminals, or at a voltage not exceeding ten per cent above (increased from six per cent) or six percent below that voltage. These amendments implement the first transitional stage for European harmonisation of nominal voltages and voltage tolerance ranges proposed in CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation) harmonisation document HD 472 S1: 1988 entitled Nominal voltages for low voltage public electricity supply systems and published in the United Kingdom by the British Standards Institution as BS 7697: 1993. The standard may be obtained from the British Standards Institution at the address below at a cost of £12.25 for members and £24.50 for non-members.

In addition, any consumer’s installation which complies with the British Standard, Requirements for Electrical Installations: BS 7671: 1992 as amended by Amendment No.1, 1994 (AMD 8536) is deemed to comply with regulation 27 of the 1988 Regulations as to safety. BS 7671: 1992 as amended may be obtained from the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL at a cost of £38 for members and £76 for non-members and from the Institution of Electrical Engineers, PO Box 96, Stevenage, Hertfordshire at a cost of £38. The 1994 amendment (AMD 8536) may be obtained from the British Standards Institution at a cost of £12 for members and £24 for non-members and from the Institution of Electrical Engineers at a cost of £12.

A compliance cost assessment has been prepared, a copy of which has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies of the assessment may be obtained free of charge by postal application to the Department of Trade and Industry Palace Street Library, Room 2.LG.4, 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE.