Written question asked by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 22 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 24 October 2007. It was answered by Malcolm Wicks (Labour) on Monday, 29 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Regional Electricity Companies: Licensing

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the reasons are for licence conditions requiring companies providing new electricity supplies to treat individuals in the same manner as businesses when determining the costs of providing a new supply; and what estimate he has made of the cost of this to individuals in rural communities.

Answer: Under section 16(1) of the Electricity Act 1989, electricity distributors are required, upon request, to make a connection to supply electricity to a premises and to provide electric lines or electrical plant or both as necessary. Under section 19(1) of the Electricity Act 1989, the distributor may require any expenses reasonably incurred in providing such a connection (including lines and/or plant) to be defrayed by the person requiring the connection to such extent as is reasonable in all the circumstances.This legislation is supported by standard distribution licence conditions, including condition 4B (which requires distributors to publish and comply with a methodology for connection charges) and condition 4C (in particular paragraph 1 which requires that"““the licensee shall not discriminate between any persons or class or classes of persons ... in carrying out works for the purpose of connection””)."We have made no estimate of the cost of these provisions to individuals in rural Communities.

Secondary information