WPD Connections Overview

Alison Sleightholm

Regulation & Government Affairs Manager

3 June 2014

Service Territory

Our distribution services area

2

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

3

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

wpdnewsupplies@westernpower.co.uk

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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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