Increased socialisation of connection costs in the distribution electricity network

1. 1. Options Feedback   The Department invites stakeholders to respond to this consultation by email with the Option they feel is best suited for our future connections policy.  In demonstrating their preferred option we request respondents to highlight their rationale for this choice and where possible provide evidence to reinforce their view.
   2. If you would prefer to provide a written response, please email your response to connectionchargingreview@economy-ni.gov.uk
   3. When responding via email or in writing, please state whether you are responding as an individual, or representing the views of an organisation (please state the name of the organisation). Please also quote the following reference in your response: “Increased socialisation of connection costs in the electricity distribution network”.
   4. Following closure of the consultation, responses will be analysed with the UR, and a summary response drafted and published.  The Department will include a list of organisations that responded, unless the submission is marked confidential.  Respondents should note that their responses may be made available as a result of Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Requests.  However, any disclosure of personal data will only be in accordance with data protection legislation.

Next Steps

1. 6. We will take the results of this consultation, and the results of the earlier joint Call for Evidence on the subject (from which these Options were developed), and we will decide which option to proceed with.
   7. UR will develop, and consult on, any necessary changes to the licence conditions of the NIE Networks distribution owner and operator licence.
   8. NIE Networks will develop a new Statement of Charging which reflects the new distribution reinforcement connection charging policy and the new licence conditions.
   9. We currently expect these steps to work through in the middle half of 2025.

Timelines

1. 10. The closing date for responses to the queries raised in this paper is 23:59 on 24 April 2025, a consultation period of 12 weeks. Please note any responses that are provided after the deadline will not be considered in our final decision.

Treatment of existing and in-flight connection applications

1. 11. Our potential reforms will not affect the reinforcement contributions required from connection applications made prior to the implementation of our reforms (in the statement of connection charges). However, it is the customer’s right to terminate their connection application and reapply should they wish to take advantage of a shallower connection charging boundary following implementation. In making this decision, customers should consider the effect this could have on their position in the connection queue and therefore the completion date of their connection.