WPD Connections Overview
Alison Sleightholm
Regulation & Government Affairs Manager
3 June 2014
Service Territory
Our distribution services area
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WPD operate 4 of the
14 UK electricity
licences and
distributes electricity
to 7.8m customers
Connections in WPD
We deal with approximately 50,000 connection enquiries in a year
including 6,000 for generator connections
We connect approximately 36,000 new sites in a year
– 35,000 small sites connected at LV
– 1000 large sites connected at HV
– 20 very large sites connected at EHV
A key change has been the increase in the number of generating
plants connected to the distribution system
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WPD structure
Chief Executive
Robert Symons
Resources and External Affairs
Director
Phil Allen
Internal Auditor
Matt Harker
Finance Director
Charl Oosthuizen
Design
Nigel Turvey
Safety&Training
Lee Wallace
Network Services
South West
Graham Halladay
Teams
Network Services
South Wales
Phil Davies
Teams
Distribution
Managers
Network Services
East Midlands
Simon Pett
Distribution
Managers
Distribution
Managers Distribution
Managers
Teams Teams
Network Services
West Midlands
Mark Shaw
Operations Director
Phil Swift
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Connections Performance in WPD
5
8.73 8.69 8.61 8.54
8.11 8.087.93 7.92 7.89 7.85 7.84 7.83 7.81 7.73
7.5
8.0
8.5
9.0
WPD South
West
WPD East
Midlands
WPD South
Wales
WPD West
Midlands
SSE Hydro SP
Distribution
SP
Manweb
SSE
Southern
UK Power
Networks
(EPN)
UK Power
Networks
(SPN)
Northern
Powergrid
(NEDL)
Electricity
North West
UK Power
Networks
(LPN)
Northern
Powergrid
(YEDL)
Connections - RYTD (March 2014)
Connections – who does what
Customer – apply for the connection and co-ordinate the various
parties
DNO – licenced operator who provides the connection from the
network to the meter
IDNO – alternate network providers who build, own and operate
network assets
ICP – alternate network providers, DNO adopts assets
Supplier – provides the bill and arranges meter readings
Meter Operator – carries out metering activities for the supplier
Ofgem – regulates the gas and electricity distribution and
transmission networks. Sets Guaranteed Standards of performance
for connections and agrees charging methodologies
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Typical timescales for connection
Generator Size Location Typical
Connection
Voltage
Typical
Timescale
0 – 0.25 MW Rural 400V 4-6 months
0 – 0.5 MW Urban 400V 4-6 months
0.25 – 4.0 MW Rural 11,000 V 12-24 months
0.5 – 7.0 MW Urban 11,000 V 12-24 months
4.0 – 20 MW Rural 33,000 V 12-24 months
7.0 – 20 MW Urban 33,000 V 12-24 months
+ 20 MW Rural & Urban 132,000 V >24 months
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The key stages in the process
The process for making an electricity connection varies according to
what is being connected and the impact it has on the existing network but
the key stages are;
Information
Application
Quotation and Agreements
Construction and Connection
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Information
The WPD website provides information and guidance for customers,
developers and connection providers seeking connection services
including;
Information to identify opportunities to connect to the network
– Long Term Development Statement
– DG constraint maps and interactive capacity maps
Information on the process of connecting to the network
– Connections guidance including an overview of the process of
connecting in accordance with G59/2 (national engineering
recommendation covering the connection of larger generators)
– Charging statements
– Competition in Connections guidance and information
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Information WPDWebMap – site specific PDF of assets
Small Scale Mapping – 1:25,000 PDF of 132kV down to
11kV assets
EHV system map – high level map of 132, 66 and 33kV
networks
Estimated capacity on 11kV/LV substations
Constraint map - highlighted 33kV with voltage or
thermal issues
Project underway to implement data extract in KLM
format (viewable with google map) and also containing data attributes
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• Held 3 times per year in our regional
Distribution offices closest to where most
participants live
• 9th July
• 24th September
• 10th December
Timetable
Information
Connection Surgeries
Following a successful trial last year we
are rolling out an annual schedule of
Connection Surgeries
Our Connection Surgeries allow
customers to discuss face-to-face with
one of our engineers, either the process
of applying for a connection in general or
specifics about a particular scheme
Particularly aimed at DG connection
customers, the surgeries provide
assistance with questions on process,
timescales, technical requirements and
possible constraints in a particular
network area
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Application
It is important to contact us in the early stages
Three options
– Call our Contact Centre
– Apply online application forms are available on our website to
cater for needs of range of connection customers across the
voltage levels including generation specific
– Send an Application Form to our Records Team
2 day contact – internal standard implemented to contact customer to
discuss connection after application
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Application
Prior to formal application we can prepare indicative connection
design and cost estimates and identify which parts of the work will be
contestable and non contestable
– Budget estimates, an early indication of the likely cost when the
full details of the scheme are not known or the timescales are
uncertain
– Feasibility studies, an early indication of connection options and
limitations can be completed on a chargeable basis
– Formal offer (quotation) requires specific site details and a full
specification of what you need to connect
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Application- what information do we need?
The information we require varies depending on what you want to
connect but generally we need;
– Contact details and site address
– Do you need a budget or a formal offer?
– A site layout plan showing where the connection is required
– The capacity of the connection
– The type e.g. demand or generation
– Any special equipment characteristics
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Timescales for providing quotaions
The timescales for WPD to provide a quotation for contestable
quotations are
– 45 working days for LV generator connections; and
– 65 working days for HV and EHV generation connections
The timescales for WPD to provide a quotation for contestable (POC)
quotations are
– 30 working days for LV generator connections; and
– 50 working days for HV and EHV generation connections
Compensation is paid if WPD miss these deadlines
There are other standards that apply throughout the connections
process
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Quotations
Estimates and quotations are produced by local Network Service
Teams up to 33kV
Above 33kV design is quotation is by our Primary Systems Design
Team
Our Network Services planners are responsible for a section of the
network and therefore have valuable local knowledge when
discussing and designing connections for customers
Our planners handle both requests for connection by WPD and
competition in connection (CiC) requests from connection providers
Our quotation will break our charges down into the areas that are
contestable and non contestable
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Contestable and non contestable
Contestable
– work that can be done by an independent connections provider
(ICP)
Non contestable
– work that must be done by the DNO
If you wish to appoint an ICP to carry out the contestable works they
must be accredited with Lloyds Register
We will adopt the works after completion and require an adoption
agreement from you/your ICP
IDNOs also provide networks that they operate and own
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Contestable and non contestable
Examples of contestable work
– Design of the contestable work
– Provision of equipment to our specification
– Negotiating land rights
– Construction of the contestable work
Examples of non contestable work
– Determining the point of connection to our network
– Approving the design
– Upstream reinforcement
– The final connection to our network
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Minimising your connection charge
Your connection charge will be based on the minimum scheme to
make the connection
To smooth the process and keep costs to a minimum we recommend
– Provide early details of the full load requirements so that we can
prepare an accurate offer quickly
– Legal consents, particularly wayleaves can take time, this is an
area where you may be able to help us
– Consider undertaking your own excavation and civil works to
reduce our charge
– Shortest route lengths and service positions close to your
equipment minimise the costs
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Agreements
For a typical DG connection the following agreements are required:
Formal Offer – the contract between you and us to pay for the
specified connection
Connection Agreement – the enduring agreement for the connection
once energised
Adoption Agreement – where the connection works are carried out by
an independent connection provider this is the agreement for WPD to
adopt the assets constructed
Wayleaves and Consents – depending on the connection there may
be requirements to transfer or lease land to WPD for the connection
assets
Local Authority consents and DECC Section 37 consents
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Construction and Connection
The local team is responsible for the delivery of network activities
including connections
These teams handle all competitive and non-competitive connection
enquiries up to 11kV for unmetered, metered demand and generation
schemes.
At 33kV and above the works are delivered by our locally based major
projects teams
Customers will have a named contact and telephone number
throughout the process
You will need to appoint a supplier and arrange the metering
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Connections process summary
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Call our Contact Centre, apply online or send an Application Form to our Records Team (ensure
you enclose a plan)
We will calculate the Connection Charge and
send you an Offer showing Contestable and
Non-contestable costs
Decide whether you want us to do all the work or to appoint an ICP to carry
out the Contestable work
If you wish to use an ICP, appoint them and ask
them to apply to us for an Offer
If you want us to carry out all the work, sign and
return the Offer acceptance, together with
payment
We will contact you to discuss a date to carry out the work and any
other requirements e.g. obtaining Wayleaves or
consents and completing a Connection Agreement
Register your new supply MPAN with an electricity
supplier and arrange your metering
Before we visit, please complete any on- site
works which you may be providing
We will complete the works and energise your
connection
Where to find out more
There is a lot information and advice on the WPD website – simply
click on the “connections tab” including
– G59 technical guidance on the requirements that you must meet
before the generating plant can be connected to the network
– WPD charging statement
Register for one of the UK wide “DG forums” in Autumn 2014. WPD
will be hosting an event in Cardiff in September 2014
Sign up for a connections surgery
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Useful websites and telephone numbers
Websites
– www.westernpower.co.uk
– www.ofgem.gov.uk
– www.energynetworks.org
– www.decc.gov.uk
Contact us
New supplies, Records Team
Lostwithiel Road
Bodmin
Cornwall
PL31 1DE
01208 892288
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Future developments - Consultation on
Interactivity Acceptance Validity & Reservation
Of Capacity
We are seeing a large increase in
instances of applications becoming
interactive with one another. With this
we are also experiencing a variety of
scenarios not originally envisaged when
the interactive connections process was
first developed.
We were keen to hear from all
stakeholders to ensure we could form a
balanced view of the issues and topics
covered in the consultation and sent out
to a wide range of stakeholders and
made it available on our website
We will analyse the feedback and
publish our response, including the
actions we plan to take in June
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