Welcome to the second edition of our UK Power Networks Connections updates.

Following the Spring edition of Connections update, we’ve spent a great deal of time out and about

talking with customers. We have introduced Connections forums in each of our three networks

which have been very well received. In response to this demand, we have scheduled dates for a

second set of Connections forums throughout October, outlined on page page 3.

It was at the Connections forums we were asked to host a technical forum, to support you better

with technical issues about your electricity supply which affect your businesses. In line with our

‘you said, we did’ initiative, we acted on your feedback and have now scheduled our first

Technical Forum. Further details are on page 3.

We are constantly improving and developing our services with you in mind, so please

share your ideas and feedback via our Account Management team. It’s nice to hear

when we get things right, but it’s essential you tell us if we let you down – your

views are invaluable so please keep it coming!

Mark Adolphus Director of Connections

At the start of May, we published new application forms for Domestic and SME customer services.

These are available via UK Power Networks’ website.

Find out how UK Power Networks performed in Ofgem’s competition test.

33kV network comes to London...

in this issue...

New application forms for Domestic and SME customer services

ConnectionsIssue 2 | Summer 2014

networkskeyaccounts@ukpowernetworks.co.uk

www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk

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Have your say... In October 2014 our Account

Management team will be asking for

your feedback on the service they

provide, through our annual

Account Management survey

33kV network comes to London

pg2

Finding a cable route can be difficult.

In October our Account Management Team asked all of UK Power Networks’ account managed customers to complete a satisfaction survey about the service provided. It also gave us the opportunity to find out if there is anything else you would like to see from the Account Management team.

Feedback was positive and the average satisfaction score was 81%.

Actions implemented following the 2013 survey include:

• Connections customer forum

• Collaborative working with our Ask the Expert service

• Connections update newsletter

We are currently drafting the 2014 survey which will be sent to you during October for your completion.

UK Power Networks is currently developing and

commissioning a new 33,000-volt electricity distribution

network in the City of London. The cable route runs

between two partly refurbished substations in

Shoreditch and Clerkenwell.

The development will provide a further 180MVA of

capacity via two new underground cable routes through

the heart of the City once power upgrades have been

completed at sites in Canning Town and Whitechapel.

The aim is to provide a cost-effective and coordinated

programme of asset replacement and power upgrades

while catering for growing demand for power in

the City, maintaining reliable power supplies. The

development of a distribution system at 33,000-volts

also makes best use of the restricted space remaining in

the road and existing cable tunnel systems.

The project includes:• Development of two new cable routes, each consisting of

four 33,000-volt cable circuits between main substations in

Clerkenwell and Shoreditch

• Installation of new cables

• Replacement of equipment at electricity substations in

Shoreditch and Clerkenwell

• New equipment at substations in Whitechapel and

Canning Town

More than 100MVA has been committed to a number of

customers, some of which are already connected, with further

customers requesting provisional prices for connections to the

new network.

Watch out for more details in the next edition of Connections update…

Got a question for the team? Please email us: networkskeyaccounts@ukpowernetworks.co.uk

Results from 2013 survey

Have your say... Account Management surveyMeet the team:- Iain Dilley, Key Account Manager- Judith Edgerton, Customer Relationship Manager- Michael Howe, Customer Relationship Manager- Frances Powell, Major Connections Customer

Relationship Manager

connections

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forums

Feedback...

feedback concerns

Please share any agenda suggestions with us via our Account Management team:

networkskeyaccounts@ukpowernetworks.co.uk

This is what the attendees had to say...

Generally very good, interesting to hear other ‘non-consultant’ views on experiences etc.

When is the next one? Much appreciated to listen and openly discuss concerns in Connection departments with UKPN.

I would benefit from a technical forum that focuses on changes to the standards that impact on the customers... footprint, resilience, programme and communication.

Look out for more dates in future issues of Connections update. Do you have a question about the Connections Forums?

Send us an email to: networkskeyaccounts@ukpowernetworks.co.uk

www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk

Throughout March, April and May we held a Connections forum in each of our regions to capture feedback from a broad base of our connections customers. This was introduced following feedback from our account management survey in October 2013.

These forums provided the opportunity for us to discuss;

• Connections Services – How we have merged two business units to improve our service, how our Gateway (application centre) operates and how UK Power Networks’ disconnection process works.

• The Connections Process – Our typical timescales, what you can expect from budget estimates and how we resource our works.

• Designing Connections – How we assess the network, the technical standards we use and our payment terms.

• Developing our Service – Our plans for service improvement in 2014 and beyond.

Connections forums October dates:

• East of England: Thursday, October 2

• London: Monday, October 13

• South East of England: Wednesday, October 22

Session Satisfaction Score

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1

86% 83% 83%

East of England London South East of England

Technical ForumOne of the key outcomes requested at the Connections forums was to establish a technical forum.

The first Technical forum was on Friday 13 June. It gave you the opportunity to speak with our Connections and Asset Management teams about:

• Recent standard changes

• Future standard changes

• Improving communications.

Did you know?

www.ukpowernetworks.co.ukpg4

Substation design standardsWe have decided to review our drawings and supporting documents to ensure consistency of style, information and to incorporate additional designs created for bespoke purposes which could be used more widely. An example of this is a design developed for our SPN Distribution Planning team to provide substation flood resilience. The review of the drawings and documents is due to be completed by mid-May 2014 and released on our G81 web pages by June 16, 2014.

If larger scale 132kV or 33kV substation schemes are to be developed customers can refer to the Grid and Primary Substation Civil Standards EDS 07-0105 which were reviewed in May 2013 to update the specifications and to introduce an alternative elevated, clad switch-house option. This standard is also available on our G81 website.

Our PlanningCompetition in ConnectionsOver the past three years, UK electricity network operators have been working hard to pass the Competition Test. This was set up by Ofgem in 2010 to encourage us to develop processes and systems to enable customers to fully benefit from competition in connections. During that time we have worked closely with our competitors to identify and remove any barriers to competition. The competition test period closed in December 2013 and Ofgem recently published the results from our final submissions. The table summarises the outcome across all UK networks, with green indicating the markets where we passed the test. Overall UK Power Networks (highlighted in red) passed in 52% of the markets that were included in

the competition test, which put us in second place among the network companies.

ENW NPG EPN LPN SPN WPD SSE SP

Demand customers:

LV

HV

HV & EHV

EHV & Above

Distributed Generation:

DGLV

DGHV

Unmetered premises:

UMC LA

UMC PFI

UMC Other

Success rate 78% 11% 52% 36% 11% 22%

Info at your fingertipsVisiting our website is a great way to keep up-to-date with the latest UK Power Networks news, initiatives and technology.

• Low Voltage (LV) drawings – We have recently introduced a suite of LV drawings which can be found on our G81 website.

http://library.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/library/en/g81/Design_and_Planning/

• Postcode search – We have introduced a new and more precise postcode search onto the UK Power Networks homepage

so that customers are able to enter their postcode and find out if we are responsible.

• Live news banner – Keep abreast with the latest UK Power Networks news via our

NEW Live News banner which can be found on the UK Power Networks homepage.