Requirements for Market
Participation
It is a requirement that all
customers connected to the Distribution network have a Connection Agreement in
place with NIE T&D. The following diagram shows the contractual
relationship between customers, their chosen supplier and NIE T&D business,
who own the network.
Low Voltage (LV)
Customers:
NIE T&D
Standard Connection Terms and Conditions will apply to all customers (domestic
and non-domestic) supplied at less than 650 volts through the agreement they
enter into with their selected electricity supplier. Please click below to
download a copy of NIE T&D’s current Standard Connection Terms and
Conditions. The current conditions were approved by the Northern Ireland
Authority for Utility Regulation on 23 October 2007.
NIE
T&D Standard Connection Terms and Conditions in PDF format (119 KB)
High
Voltage (HV) Customers:
All customers supplied at more
than 650 volts require to have a site specific
connection agreement directly with NIE T&D. Please click below to download
a
copy of a sample HV Connection Agreement and associated Health and Safety
rules (SRG 4).
HV
Connection Agreement in PDF format (266 KB)
Associated
Health and Safety Rules in PDF format (494 KB)
Connection Agreements for
Customers with Generation:
Customers who
wish to connect generation that operates in parallel with the NIE T&D
Network are required, under The Electricity Supply Regulations, to have the
written agreement of NIE T&D.
To make a formal application to NIE T&D, to obtain written consent to
operate your generation in parallel with the NIE T&D network, please
register your scheme via the NIE online registration system
http://www.nie.co.uk/genconnect/ and download the necessary forms,
which should be completed and returned to NIE.
We would emphasize that you must not connect generating plant, that is designed
for operation in parallel with the NIE T&D system, without the prior
written agreement of NIE T&D.
The Central Design
Authority (CDA)
The CDA, is an NIE T&D
appointed body responsible for coordinating and supporting the overall
design of the new Retail Market Arrangements in the Northern Ireland
non-domestic electricity market.
The opening of full retail
competition in the Northern Ireland non-domestic electricity market represents
a challenge for the industry. Coupled with the challenge of designing and
implementing the arrangements that will support the competitive market, is the
challenge of ensuring consistency between all market design components. The
market design consists of a number of key components (configuration items) that
are relevant to the industry as a whole. These components include, market
procedures, legal documentation and market message definitions.
The CDA performs an administrative, industry-facing role, which supports and
coordinates, the overall market design including the Market Registration Code
(MRC). The MRC commenced on 11 September 2006, after the original parties
signed the Market Registration Framework Agreement
Central Design Authority
Board
On the MRC Commencement Date the Central Design Authority Board was established
and became operational. The functions of the Central Design Authority Board are
to consider and make decisions in relation to Issues and Code Change Proposals,
as provided for under the MRC Change Procedures. NIE and each Supplier have the
right to appoint, by notice in writing to the Central Design Authority, one
person each to the Central Design Authority Board.
Central Design Authority
Board Meetings
Board meetings are convened
normally every month. Change Control Board members receive all relevant
information from the CDA, including minutes of the previous meeting, five
working days before the meeting. The frequency of meetings can be amended
accordingly to reflect the volume as well as urgency of change requests. The
CDA will advise the Change Control Board members of any changes to the
meetings.
Change Control Board meetings review newly raised change requests, change
request impact assessments and determine change request recommendations. The
Change Control Board meetings are chaired by the CDA and Ofreg/NIAER attend
these meetings as an observer.
Market Design Baseline
Management Overview
Key to managing market design
changes and ensuring consistency between all market design components is the
establishment of the MRC baseline. The MRC baseline consists of a set of
component documents that are mutually consistent and are issued at a specific
point in time. Together, this set of components, describe all aspects of how
the new retail electricity market operates from a market participant
perspective.
To review the current MRC Baseline document release for the new retail market
arrangements please click on the link below provided by Ofreg/NIAER:
http://ofreg.nics.gov.uk
Additional Market Documentation
NIE T&D will post documents (in PDF format) that will assist market
participants as and when they become available.
Market System
Communication Arrangements
To enable suppliers to obtain
answers on any questions or concerns after implementation of the New
Electricity Retail Market Arrangements, please contact us at
STS.query@nie.co.uk.
Market Design
Communication Arrangements
To facilitate suppliers to
submit Queries, Issues or Change Requests directly to the Central Design
Authority, please contact us at CDA@nie.co.uk.
Market Design Query
Resolutions
We will shortly provide an
online search and submit facility to enable suppliers to access CDA archived
market design query resolutions etc.
Supplier Enquiry (Billing
& Registration)
Should you have an enquiry about
a customers account, please email us at STSCustAccQuery@nie.co.uk.
Distribution Code
As part of the arrangements for the Single Electricity
Market and the implementation of the IME Directive, it was necessary, through
the establishment of a Distribution Code, to separate out the operation of the
Distribution System from the Transmission System. The Distribution Code is
designed to permit the development, maintenance and operation of an efficient,
co-ordinated and economical NI Distribution System.
The Distribution Code is a document in
its own right but at present it cross refers to the relevant Distribution
System related elements in the Grid Code.
NIE has just completed a review of the
Distribution Code. This review related to amendments to the existing
Distribution Code to create a full Distribution Code which does not refer to
the Grid Code.
In accordance with the requirements of
paragraph 2 of Condition 27 of the NIE Licence, NIE consulted electricity
undertakings liable to be materially affected by the proposed Distribution Code
changes. The consultation closed on 17 April 2009.
NIE has now considered responses
received to that consultation and has submitted to NIAUR for its consideration
the proposed amendments to the Distribution Code.
Please click below to download a clean
copy of the proposed Distribution Code.
Distribution Code (1.36 MB)
Northern Ireland
Electricity Transmission and Distribution System Security and Planning
Standards
Interface Agreements
NIE is party to two Interface
Agreements with NIE Energy Ltd as conditions of its licence to participate in
the transmission of electricity.
-
the PTIA is an
agreement between NIE and NIE Energy Ltd in its capacity as the Power
Procurement Business.
-
the SuTIA is an
agreement between NIE and NIE Energy Ltd in its capacity as the holder of the
NIE Energy Supply Licence, but excluding where it is acting in its capacity as
the Power Procurement Business.
The agreements
were designated/approved by the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility
Regulation (NIAUR) as part of the new market arrangements introduced on 1
November 2007. Please click below to download a copy of either the PTIA or
SuTIA as appropriate.
PTIA.pdf (67KB)
SuTIA.pdf (67KB)
