The Electricity (Standards of Performance) Regulations 2010

PART III Other individual standards of performance for electricity distributors

Distributor’s fuse

12.—(1) This regulation applies to an electricity distributor where that distributor is informed by a telephone call made by a customer whose premises are directly connected to that distributor’s distribution system that, or of circumstances suggesting that, the distributor’s fuse has operated so as to disconnect the supply to those premises.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), where information is received by the distributor outside working hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the commencement of the next following period of working hours.

(3) Where, within the prescribed period from the applicable date, an appropriate person fails to attend at the premises where the distributor’s fuse is situated for the purpose of replacing or reinstating that fuse and restoring the supply, the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (4), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(4) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (3) are–

(a) each of the circumstances described in regulation 22;

(b) that the customer requested the distributor not to restore the supply; and

(c) that the distributor’s fuse had not operated so as to disconnect the supply.

(5) In this regulation, “appropriate person” means a person employed or authorised by the distributor to restore the supply where the distributor’s fuse has operated.

Estimate of charges for connection

13.—(1) This regulation applies to an electricity distributor where–

(a) a customer gives a notice under section 16A(1) of the Act(1) (including a notice modifying any previous notice) and requests that the distributor provide an estimate;

(b) the connection to which the notice relates is to enable a supply to be provided at distribution low voltage; and

(c) the distributor receives from the customer the information relating to the provision of the connection that is or could reasonably be expected to be within the knowledge of the customer and that the distributor reasonably requires to enable it to provide the estimate.

(2) Where this regulation applies and paragraph (4) applies and the distributor fails to dispatch an estimate to the customer within the prescribed period from the applicable date, the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in regulation 22, pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(3) Where this regulation applies but paragraph (4) does not apply, and the distributor fails to dispatch an estimate to the customer within the prescribed period from the applicable date, the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(4) This paragraph applies where it is reasonable for the distributor to believe that it will not be necessary to carry out any significant work other than the provision of a service line and a distributor’s fuse to enable the connection to be given.

(5) The circumstances described in this paragraph are–

(a) each of the circumstances described in regulation 22; and

(b) that the distributor reasonably believes that the premises referred to in the notice form or will form part of a development scheme comprising five or more premises.

(6) In providing an estimate referred to in sub-paragraph (1), the distributor–

(a) may reserve the right to vary the amount stated in the estimate having regard to its actual costs incurred in carrying out the work, but, if it does so, the estimate shall include a reference to any matters that the distributor considers may cause the amount to be varied significantly; and

(b) shall state the terms for payment of the amount in the estimate and for any variation of that amount.

(7) In this regulation–

(a) “estimate” means a statement in writing of the amount that the distributor reasonably expects it will require the customer to pay under section 19(1) of the Act(2) or under regulations made under section 19(2)(3) thereof having regard to the information that is known or ought reasonably to be known by the distributor in relation to the carrying out of that work; and

(b) “service line” means a distribution low-voltage electric line or any part of the line that will, at the time it is provided, be used only for supplying a single customer, excluding any part of the line that, at the time that it is provided, is intended by the distributor to be used to enable it to provide a connection to premises (other than the customer’s premises) in respect of which the distributor has received or would reasonably expect within the following 12 months to receive a notice under section 16A of the Act(4).

Notice of supply interruption

14.—(1) Paragraph (4) applies to an electricity distributor where, for an authorised purpose, that distributor interrupts the supply to a customer’s premises that are directly connected to its distribution system.

(2) Paragraph (5) applies to an electricity distributor where, for an authorised purpose, that distributor interrupts the supply to a customer’s premises that are directly connected to the distribution system of another electricity distributor.

(3) Paragraph (6) applies to an electricity distributor where that distributor has received notice from another electricity distributor within the prescribed period under paragraph (5) that supplies to a customer’s premises that are directly connected to its distribution system will be interrupted or are expected to be interrupted for an authorised purpose by another electricity distributor.

(4) Where this paragraph applies and the distributor–

(a) has failed to give to the customer prior notice of not less than the prescribed period, stating the day on which the supply is or is expected to be interrupted; or

(b) interrupts the supply on a day other than a day stated in the notice,

the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (7), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(5) Where this paragraph applies and the distributor–

(a) has failed to give the other electricity distributor prior notice of not less than the prescribed period, stating the day upon which the supply is or is expected to be interrupted, for onward transmission to the customer; or

(b) interrupts the supply on a day other than a day stated in the notice,

the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (7), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(6) Where this paragraph applies and the distributor has failed to give the customer prior notice of not less than the prescribed period, stating the day on which supply is expected to be interrupted, the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances prescribed in paragraph (7), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(7) The circumstances described in this paragraph are–

(a) each of the circumstances described in paragraphs (3), (6) and (7) of regulation 22;

(b) that the interruption was caused by the removal of a temporary supply that had been installed following an interruption of supply to the customer’s premises while supply was being restored to the premises; and

(c) that the distributor to whose distribution system the customer’s premises are directly connected has not received a claim for compensation from the customer in respect of the failure(s) referred to in paragraphs (4), (5) and (6) within a period of one month from the applicable date.

(8) In this regulation, “authorised purpose”, in relation to an electricity distributor, means testing or any other planned purpose connected with the carrying on of the activities that the distributor is authorised by its licence to carry on in relation to its electric lines and electrical plant (other than the distributor’s fuse).

Voltage complaint

15.—(1) This regulation applies to an electricity distributor where that distributor is notified by a customer whose premises are directly connected to its distribution system that–

(a) the customer believes that the supply to the premises is being or has been given at a voltage outside the limits of the permitted variations; or

(b) an event has occurred in relation to the supply and a distributor might reasonably expect the cause of the event to have been a supply given at a voltage outside the limits of the permitted variations.

(2) Where this regulation and paragraph (3) apply, and the distributor fails within the prescribed period from the applicable date to offer to the customer to visit the customer’s premises to investigate the matter during a specified time, the distributor shall, except in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5), pay to the customer the prescribed sum.

(3) This paragraph applies where the distributor is reasonably satisfied that it is unable to provide an explanation of the probable reason for the matter notified under paragraph (1) without visiting the customer’s premises.

(4) Where this regulation applies and the distributor–

(a) where paragraph (3) applies, fails to visit the customer’s premises during the specified time, it shall pay to the customer the prescribed sum; or

(b) where paragraph (3) does not apply, fails to dispatch to the customer an explanation of the probable reason for the matter notified under paragraph (1) within the prescribed period from the receipt of the notification, it shall pay to the customer the prescribed sum,

except in either case in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (5).

(5) The circumstances described in this paragraph are each of the circumstances described in regulation 22 provided that, in relation to paragraph (6) of that regulation, the distributor gave the customer not less than one working day’s prior warning (whether or not in writing) that it would be unable to visit during the specified time or the circumstances in which that paragraph applied occurred at a time when it was not reasonably practicable to give such a warning.

(6) In this regulation, “permitted variations” has the same meaning as in regulations made under section 29 of the Act(5).

(1)

1989 c.29: section 16A(1) was inserted by section 44 of the Utilities Act 2000.

(2)

1989 c.29: section 19(1) was amended by section 46(2) of the Utilities Act 2000.

(3)

1989 c.29: section 19(2) was amended by section 46(3) of the Utilities Act 2000.

(4)

1989 c.29: section 16A was inserted by section 44 of the Utilities Act 2000.

(5)

1989 c.29: section 29 was amended by paragraph 30 of Schedule 6 to the Utilities Act 2000.