SSE commit to improve competitor connections

7 November 2016

Ofgem accepts binding commitments from SSE to improve services needed for competitors to connect customers to its distribution network

Ofgem has accepted legally binding commitments from SSE. This follows a Competition Act investigation into whether its behaviour could have impeded competition for connecting new developments to its electricity distribution network in the South of England.

Hundreds of thousands of connections are made every year as sites, such as new housing estates and business premises, connect to electricity distribution networks. The whole market for providing these electricity connections is worth over £500 million per year in Great Britain, as independent companies compete against regional distribution network operators, such as SSE, to connect new customers to these networks.

Effective competition should help deliver cheaper connections, better customer service, and more innovative products.

Ofgem's investigation did identify competition concerns regarding SSE's behaviour in providing services needed for competitors to connect new developments to its electricity distribution network in the South of England. These included inconsistencies in providing essential services needed to allow competitors to compete effectively, including inconsistency in quotes.

SSE has committed to putting in place new processes and procedures to make sure it provides these essential services to all parties on a consistent basis. These steps include the following:

· Splitting operations within SSE's connections business to separate the team that provides essential services to the connections market from the team that competes in the connections market;

· putting in place an improved IT system to prevent inconsistent quotes from being issued for the same site without justification;

· mandatory and regular competition law compliance training; and

· frequent, independent, third party auditing of and reporting on SSE's compliance with the commitments.

Ofgem considers that these commitments will fully address the competition concerns that have been identified.

As a result of accepting the commitments, Ofgem is closing its investigation with no decision made on whether or not SSE infringed competition law.

Since the investigation was opened, Ofgem has introduced a new Code of Practice and associated licence condition to force all electricity distributors to open up competition in the electricity connections market. Today's decision reinforces these new rules to ensure that the company effectively addresses the issues raised during the investigation. It helps open up the connections market to more effective competition.

Ofgem is committed to making sure there is more effective competition in the electricity distributions network market, to benefit consumers. It will continue to monitor the market for new connections to electricity distribution networks. . It will take action wherever it finds evidence of a potential infringement of competition law.

Notes to editors

1. Investigation and commitments

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/investigation-whether-sse-has-infringed-requirements-chapter-ii-competition-act-1998-andor-article-102-treaty-functioning-european-union-respect-points-connection.

SSE has two electricity distribution networks, one in the South of England and one in Scotland. The investigation only related to the distribution network in the South of England. However, SSE has committed to implement the commitments across both of its distribution networks.

2. The Code of Practice

The Code of Practice obliges DNOs to reduce the impact of their DNO activities on competitors for providing new connections and improve the consistency of arrangements across Great Britain. The Competition in Connections Code of Practice can be found here:

http://www.connectionscode.org.uk/assets/files/CiCCoP_final_July2016_1.pdf 

3. About Ofgem

Ofgem is Britain's independent energy regulator and has concurrent competition powers alongside the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to energy. Ofgem's priority is to protect and make a positive difference for energy consumers. It does this through regulating, supervising and developing the energy retail and wholesale markets, and the delivering government schemes.

For more information about Ofgem's work, see Energy facts and figures. Follow @ofgem on Twitter and LinkedIn 

4. For further press information contact:

Tim Webb 0207 9017 179

Out-of-hours media contact number 07766 511470

www.ofgem.gov.uk/news-and-media