Issue 1 | Spring/Summer 2015 stakeholder.engagement@ukpowernetworks.co.uk www.ukpowernetworks .co.uk Welcome to our Spring/Summer 2015 newsletter where you will find some key stakeholder engagement initiatives and outcomes that we have undertaken in the first six months of 2015. Our customers can now self-serve on our website! In May we launched new tools that put us ahead of other electricity distribution companies and bring us into line with all leading utilities in the UK. We have a new dedicated section called ‘Our services’ found here where customers can apply for work online, book appointments, pay and track the delivery of their work all in one place. To compliment this we’ve also added a new area on the website called ‘Need help’ found here which shows searchable questions and answers for our customers so they have the answers to hand quickly. Customers can quickly register an account and book a visit from one of our engineers with a few simple clicks. For example we are offering customers who want a simple electricity meter move the ability to get an online quote, pay for it and book a visit from a customer service technician all in a few clicks. Our Smarter Network Storage project The new 6MW storage system facility was connected to our network and formally switched on in December 2014 by Amber Rudd the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. The storage facility will be able to push electricity onto the network locally in times where the local electricity demand exceeds the available capacity. Alternatively it will be able to absorb excess from the electricity network during times of high generation and low demand, such as sunny days or windy days. Smarter Network Storage will generate additional revenue by participating in the National Grid ancillary services market. This market supports system stability through providing Frequency Response and Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR). This will help to optimise the use of the storage device and assess the economic case for storage compared to demand-side response. Find out more about Smarter Network Storage project here. Dear Reader
Welcome to our Spring/Summer 2015 newsletter where you will fi nd some key stakeholder engagement initiatives and outcomes that we have undertaken in the fi rst six months of 2015.
Our customers can now self-serve on our website!In May we launched new tools that put us ahead of other electricity distribution companies and bring us into
line with all leading utilities in the UK.
We have a new dedicated section called ‘Our services’ found here where customers can apply for work online,
book appointments, pay and track the delivery of their work all in one place.
To compliment this we’ve also added a new area on the website called ‘Need help’ found here which shows
searchable questions and answers for our customers so they have the answers to hand quickly.
Customers can quickly register an account and book a visit from one of our engineers with a few simple clicks.
For example we are offering customers who want a simple electricity meter move the ability to get an online
quote, pay for it and book a visit from a customer service technician all in a few clicks.
Our Smarter Network Storage projectThe new 6MW storage system facility was connected to our network and formally switched on in
December 2014 by Amber Rudd the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. The storage
facility will be able to push electricity onto the network locally in times where the local electricity
demand exceeds the available capacity. Alternatively it will be able to absorb excess from the electricity
network during times of high generation and low demand, such as sunny days or windy days.
Smarter Network Storage will generate additional revenue by participating in the National Grid ancillary
services market. This market supports system stability through providing Frequency Response and Short
Term Operating Reserve (STOR). This will help to optimise the use of the storage device and assess the
economic case for storage compared to demand-side response.
Find out more about Smarter Network Storage project here.
NEW ‘Ask the Expert’ Surgeries launchedWe have developed the ‘Ask the Expert’ service by introducing one-to-one surgeries for customers who
need technical advice on their electrical connections.
The surgeries, which are one-to-one and last 90 minutes started in April, and are being held at venues
across our three distribution areas.
We are hoping the slots will give customers enough time with our design teams to discuss complex
projects and cover off topics such as network demand and capacity, substation location and design, legal
issues, traffi c management and earthing concerns.
These surgeries are open to all our customers who are planning complex projects involving new or
altered connections to the electricity network, whether they are individuals, businesses or developers.
The sessions are free of charge and will be booked on a fi rst-come-fi rst-served basis via the connections
page on our website www.ukpowernetworks.co.ukor by emailing [email protected]
Ask theAsk theAsk theExpertExpertExpert
Flexible Distributed Generation (FDG) ConnectionsParts of our network are constrained due to capacity, voltage or reverse power fl ow issues and in these areas customers may experience
a higher than expected cost for connection. This is because the costs will include a signifi cant element of reinforcement work in order to
overcome these technical challenges.
The FDG connection offering aims to provide a point of connection within the existing network
without the need for/or ahead of reinforcement. The customer must be willing to accept
temporary reduction to their export to ensure the network is kept within operational limits and
the constraint is not breached.
We are now rolling out FDG connections in different parts of our network, future schedule
shown in the table on the right.
If you would like to be kept up to date with FDG connection developments please email
March/Peterborough (Original Flexible Plug and Play zone) extension
October 2015
Trials pave the way to save money and help cut the capital’s carbon footprintFuturistic blueprints to help cut London’s carbon emissions were published by us in January.
The Future Networks team has been instrumental in trials which pave the way for customers to save money and help cut London’s
carbon footprint. After four years of work, 27 reports revealing the results of the Low Carbon London trials have now been published.
The trials tested new ‘smart grid’ technology on the electricity networks with thousands of Londoners to support the growing uptake
of low carbon technologies.
The £28.3million project explored ways to meet major extra demand on the capital’s electricity system
anticipated from local green electricity, heat pumps, electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels – without
overloading the network or adding signifi cantly to electricity bills. Low Carbon London was funded through
Ofgem’s Low Carbon Networks Fund and by UK Power Networks.
An electric vehicle survey carried out by Low Carbon London researchers found that an electric
vehicle charging system could actually be more manageable than originally feared.
The trials included encouraging customers to reduce their electricity consumption as required, as well as
fl exible energy tariffs based on renewable energy output for domestic customers, electric vehicle charging
schemes, a major home appliance survey and monitoring the impact of green electricity systems.
Our partners on the Low Carbon London programme were Imperial College London, Siemens, CGI, EDF Energy, Greater London Authority,
Transport for London, National Grid, the Institute for Sustainability, Flexitricity, Smarter Grid Solutions and EnerNOC.
The Low Carbon London fi ndings are accessible online at: ukpowernetworks.co.uk/innovation.
Wellbeing award re-accreditationWe were re-accredited in the Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business Awards earlier in April.
The company’s Bupa Workwell Engagement and Wellbeing Award recognises the way it helps employees to lead healthier lives.
Its 5,600 staff look after the networks that bring electricity to 8.1million properties in London, the South East and East Anglia.
To be recognised in the latest Business in the Community award, we had to demonstrate that we had continued to
develop our health initiatives since winning the award in 2013 and again in 2014.
Business in the Community chief executive Stephen Howard said: “The Responsible Business Awards celebrate the
very best of business and raise awareness of business as a powerful force for good. We congratulate UK Power
Networks for playing its part in creating a fairer society and more sustainable future and demonstrating that business
has a greater purpose then simply generating profi t.”
This award coincided with Responsible Business Week (April 20-26), an annual initiative to increase awareness of the positive
contribution of business in society. The Responsible Business Awards celebrate the ways businesses are making a difference – from
investing in the wellbeing of employees, to helping young people develop skills, or supporting small businesses to grow.
Latest generation of self healing power system is a world fi rstNew technology will help us restore electricity supplies quicker after power cuts.
Developed by GE’s Digital Energy business, the ‘Automated Power Restoration System’ (APRS) is being extended across our high-voltage network in London, the South East and East Anglia throughout this year.
The APRS technology is integrated into GE’s PowerOn Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). This virtual model of the electricity network allows our control engineers to remotely operate switches to restore electricity supplies much quicker than if an engineer had to reach every site to manually operate equipment.
The APRS system activates when a ‘circuit breaker’ operates on that system. The software ‘talks’ to the sites where remote control and monitoring devices are fi tted, using fault indicators to pinpoint approximately where the fault lies.
It can then instruct other parts of the network to switch back on supply.
A+ rating for sustainabilityWe are proud to have been awarded A+ rating for sustainability through the Global Reporting Initiative!
As we know electricity is vital and millions of people depend on us to ensure it is constantly there at
the fl ick of a switch; to boil a kettle, to feel safe, to stay warm and to keep our society on the move.
Our sustainability strategy is developed in line with the Ofgem sustainability themes of:
• Managing the transition to a low carbon economy
• Eradicating fuel poverty and protecting vulnerable customers
• Promoting energy saving
• Ensuring a secure and reliable electricity supply
• Supporting improvements in all aspects of the environment
The report showcases our sustainability achievements and commitments in four areas:
• Workforce
• Community
• Environment
• Future Proofi ng
Being sustainable makes sound business sense and our aim is to continue to embed it into our daily operations. To read the
2014 Sustainability Report, click here. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Jennifer Backstrom.
Supporting work for Vulnerable customersWe have promoted our services on TV, newspapers and radio and would like to thank all our stakeholders for the level of
support we have received and continue to receive.
Power cuts don’t happen very often these days, and it is our job to ensure it
stays that way. But if there’s a power cut, we provide extra support for those
people who may need it for example those who have restricted mobility or are
medically dependent on electricity. We are focused on providing our vulnerable
customers with the best possible service which is why we have been working with
stakeholders to promote awareness of our free Priority Services Register (PSR).
From autumn 2014, we have been really pleased to have had a great deal of
support from councils and other stakeholders across our patch who have helped to raise awareness of the PSR. Stakeholders
have sent out PSR application leafl ets, posters, and added articles and adverts into their newsletters.
This activity has led to increased levels of awareness of who to contact if there is a power cut as well as a signifi cantly higher
number of subscribers to the PSR. We thank all our stakeholders for the support they have extended to us to date. We will
continue promoting our PSR services to encourage an even higher take-up in the future and we rely on our extensive network
of stakeholders to help us spread the message.
Furthermore, we will again be reaching out to make sure an even greater number of vulnerable customers become aware
of our PSR in the run-up to winter 2015/16.
If you need extra support during a power cut do sign up to our free register here.
Or call us 24 hours a day on 0800 31 63 105. If you are calling from a mobile call on 0333 32 32 105.
Your feedbackIf you would like to leave feedback regarding any of the information in this newsletter or any other issues you can contact us at:
We have partnered with a charity to make vital information accessible to deaf peopleWe have launched a partnership with the Royal Association for Deaf people (RAD), with a host of new services.
One of the many new ways in which the two organisations are working together is a list of new clips in British Sign Language (BSL) for inclusion on our website. These focus on different sections of information that our customers generally need, such as how to get in touch with the company, advice on what to do in the unlikely event of a power cut, and staying safe around electricity.
Some of the other ways the two organisations are working together include:
• Engaging with other deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) organisations across our regions to promote the information via their individual websites/communication channels.
• New promotional material for our Priority Services Register (PSR) and “Welcome pack” letter to make the service accessible for the deaf community.
• “Deaf-friendly” presentation to explain the role of UK Power Networks through workshops and face-to-face interaction with the deaf community.
• Along with RAD, we held a joint customer focus group with domestic hard of hearing and deaf customers, explaining what we do and promoting our Priority Service Register.
To view the clips, and other services, visit: www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk
One of the many new ways in which the two organisations are working together is a list of new clips in British Sign Language (BSL)
