Extending the scope of contestable works.

We developed a new process that allows accredited ICPs to undertake street lighting overhead pole transfers as contestable works.

We are not the only company that can provide a new connection to our network. Our customers are free to compare our prices and levels of service with ICPs who can also deliver some, or all of the work.

The work that ICPs can undertake is described as ‘contestable’, and we are committed to fostering and continuously developing an environment in which they can compete freely with us to undertake this work.

We acted on requests from ICPs and our unmetered customers by developing and trialling a new end-to-end process that allows suitably accredited ICPs to undertake overhead street lighting transfers
as contestable works. This means that customers are now able to obtain that work from them, should they wish.

Following the successful outcome and lessons learned from the trial, we rolled out the new process and informed ICPs who attended our ICP Seminar in November 2019 about the change we were making. We also updated our connections application forms to include unmetered overhead transfers to streamline this process for ICPs.

Delivery of this action means that we have further extended the scope of contestable works for ICPs, so increasing the range of services they can provide for new and existing unmetered clients.

This change been positively received. We have received 2018 applications using the new process, for a total of 369 overhead street lighting transfers that have been carried out by ICPs.