The Electricity (Standards of Performance) Regulations 2015

PART 3 Other Individual Standards of Performance for Electricity Distributors

Distributor’s fuse

11.—(1) This regulation applies to an electricity distributor where that distributor is informed by a telephone call, text message or email 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)—

(a) where information is received by the distributor outside working hours it is deemed to have been received at the commencement of the next following period of working hours; and

(b) without prejudice to sub-paragraph (a), the information is deemed to be received by the distributor when it is received at the distributor’s specified contact points for receiving such information.

(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 must, 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 20;

(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.

Notice of supply interruption

12.—(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 must, 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 must, 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 must, 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 20;

(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 any failure 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

13.—(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 paragraph (3) applies, 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 must, 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 must 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 must 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 20 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(1).

(1)

Section 29 was amended by paragraph 30 of Schedule 6 to the Utilities Act 2000 (c.27) and sections 94(1) and 147(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 19 to, the Energy Act 2004 (c.20).