Access SCR alignment

As set out in paragraphs 1.6 to 1.8, unless the relevant legal text is changed, the Access SCR Decision will not be implemented in line with policy intent and it may influence a Customer’s choice between a Curtailable Connection and a Non-Curtailable Connection, in a way that the Access SCR Decision does not intend.

DCP 404 ‘Access SCR: Changes to Terms of Connection for Curtailable Customers’ and DCP 405 ‘Access SCR: Managing Curtailable Connections between Licensed Distribution Networks’ were raised to implement certain aspects of the Authority’s Access SCR final decision (the “Access SCR Decision”), specifically paragraphs 18 to 22 of the Authority’s direction to implement the Access SCR Decision (the “Access SCR Direction”). These paragraphs set out the basis of a Curtailable Connection.

Curtailable Connection is defined in the new Schedule 2D ‘Curtailable Connections’ via DCP 404 and amendments to Section 2B ‘Distributor to Distributor/OTSO Relationships’ via DCP 405. Both definitions limit applicability to where the DNO/IDNO Party has “made” a “connection offer” on or after 1 April 2023.

Both DCP 404 and DCP 405 were approved by the Authority on 15 December 2022.

However, the Access SCR Decision made it clear that the policy changes “should not affect the rights or reinforcement contributions required from connection applications made prior to the implementation of our reforms in April 2023”.

This was an oversight in the development of the DCP 404 and DCP 405 solutions and therefore changes are needed to ensure that the definition of Curtailable Connection applies only where a connection “application” is “received” on or after 1 April 2023.

Schedule 2D and Section 2B as will be implemented by DCP 404 and DCP 405.