Unlooping electricity supply

[Zilla91]

Could people who have had their supply unlooped for their EV charger post who their DNO is and whether they had to pay or if it was done for free.

I was under the impression they should do it for free but from what I've been able to find on Google it doesn't appear to be the case across the board.

 

[Buzzliteyear]

I have seen there are some who haven't needed it doing. I'll find out later this year when I'm ready to get a proper set up installed.

 

[Zilla91]

I have seen there are some who haven't needed it doing. I'll find out later this year when I'm ready to get a proper set up installed.

I know, you can get a CT clamp to get around it but what I'm trying to find out is if it's free or not

 

[ACarneiro]

That’s a bodge and only pushes the problem further down the road when the “unlooping giant” has awoken and costs and delays may be bigger.
If you can unloop now for free or a modest sum I would definitely push that option…

 

[Stuart1714]

I know, you can get a CT clamp to get around it but what I'm trying to find out is if it's free or not

I had the runaround from my DNO (ENW). There was some doubt about whether I needed to be unlooped. Due to being messed about for many months and contacting the complaints department, they let me install the charger with protection that looks like a clamp whilst they arranged for the same person to do a site visit for the second time. I think it was in the region of £150 fitted at the same time as a charger.

Eventually they decided I didn’t need to be unlooped, but the device is still in place.

 

[anarchi]

Could people who have had their supply unlooped for their EV charger post who their DNO is and whether they had to pay or if it was done for free.

I was under the impression they should do it for free but from what I've been able to find on Google it doesn't appear to be the case across the board.

SSEN did it for me for free last April/May (it took a while).

 

[Zilla91]

That’s a bodge and only pushes the problem further down the road when the “unlooping giant” has awoken and costs and delays may be bigger.
If you can unloop now for free or a modest sum I would definitely push that option…

That's what I'm trying to do but Northern Powergrid have quoted me around 6 grand to do it, which I'm having none of, which is why I'm wanting to find out if others have had it for free so I can go back and call them out

 

[ACarneiro]

That's what I'm trying to do but Northern Powergrid have quoted me around 6 grand to do it, which I'm having none of, which is why I'm wanting to find out if others have had it for free so I can go back and call them out

Ouch.
Western Power Distribution have published policy saying they’ll do it for free…. These inconsistencies are no fun :/

 

[Hessles]

NGED will do it for free

 

[Jason71]

This is interesting. Summary is it varies from DNO to DNO but there is a change in April that makes it more likely the holdouts will do it for free.

Good luck

 

[jqworle]

My house was unlooped for free by Western Power , now called National Grid.

 

[Rooster6655]

That's what I'm trying to do but Northern Powergrid have quoted me around 6 grand to do it, which I'm having none of, which is why I'm wanting to find out if others have had it for free so I can go back and call them out

Typical Warren Buffet owned company trying to make more money

Definitely don't think you should have to pay, it should be part of their service to ensure that the correct infrastructure is in place to suit usage, I didn't pay for it.

 

[ACarneiro]

Definitely don't think you should have to pay, it should be part of their service to ensure that the correct infrastructure is in place to suit usage, I didn't pay for it.

It would appear Ofgem is of the same opinion…

 

[Sean.]

Typical Warren Buffet owned company trying to make more money

Definitely don't think you should have to pay, it should be part of their service to ensure that the correct infrastructure is in place to suit usage, I didn't pay for it.

It’s staggering just how much of the grid infrastructure in this country is owned by foreign corporates and pension funds. Little wonder investment and grid renewal is utterly stymied. Good luck with getting to net zero Britain.

 

[Jason71]

It would appear Ofgem is of the same opinion…

Opinion? yes.
Enforced? Aparently not

 

[ACarneiro]

Opinion? yes.
Enforced? Aparently not

The document you have kindly linked seems to suggest it’ll be enforced from April 2023 (I only skim-read it, though, so may have misinterpreted it).
Disappointingly (but understandably, I guess) it specifically states that upgrading a supply from 1ph to 3ph is excluded from the freebie. Shame

 

[Jason71]

If you read Northerns website on the subject it is a bit vague

Home Page| Northern Powergrid

Northern Powergrid ensures the electricity you buy from your energy supplier gets to you safely and whenever you require it. Find out more online now.

www.northernpowergrid.com

It says:
"If your customer who has asked us to modify the connection and it requires us to upgrade their termination equipment like existing fuses, then they may need to pay for the part of the work which impacts their premises"

This implies that all you have to pay for is a new fuse holder which should cost next to nothing. Having mentioned payment for that but not the ground works ( which is surely the expensive bit) it implies that bit is free?
Western also calls out you might have to pay for "termination equipment" but they specifically say that the groundworks are free

 

[Jason71]

The document you have kindly linked seems to suggest it’ll be enforced from April 2023 (I only skim-read it, though, so may have misinterpreted it).
Disappointingly (but understandably, I guess) it specifically states that upgrading a supply from 1ph to 3ph is excluded from the freebie. Shame

does it?
"We understand that the majority of DNOs already fund this work or plan to do so from the start of RIIO-ED2 in April 2023."
"We therefore consider that an interpretation of connection charging policy that results in DNOs funding this work is in the consumers’ interests"
"We recognise that in advance of a modification to the CCCM it may not be possible for us to enforce compliance with this view"
sounds to me as if they are asked really nicely that they do it for free but it is not mandated unless they makes some changes to the CCCM rules coming into force. that was a year ago so maybe they did? or maybe not?

 

[Sean.]

Good luck getting a multiphase connection upgrade for free.

 

[Jason71]

Good luck getting a multiphase connection upgrade for free.

good luck getting lots of things for free that are not what this thread is about