ECSG Terms of Reference • Purpose: – To promote competition in the provision of connections to electricity distribution systems for the benefit of customers. • Objectives – To review existing performance in the connections industry including compliance with regulatory obligations – To evaluate, design and recommend mechanisms and solutions to address issues impacting the connections industry 1
Membership • The ECSG is a forum where DNOs, customers and independents can meet to discuss issues and identify and formulate solutions. Where appropriate, current fora are used to feed in issues to the ECSG. However, this should not preclude the raising of issues that fall outside existing fora being brought to the ECSG for consideration. • ECSG meets on a quarterly basis at Ofgem offices. • Membership: – 1 representative from each of the DNOs and IDNOs (i.e.7-12 reps). – 2 customer representative from each of MCCG and UCCG (i.e. 4 reps ) – other independent representation (as necessary) • The Chair and Secretariat functions of the ECSG are discharged by Ofgem. • Nominations can be made to Ofgem for change of current representatives or to appeal the extension of membership to an additional participant. • It is proposed that there should be an open-door policy for membership to allow for extension of membership as necessary but bearing in mind that; – There is a core membership at these meetings – That there should be attendance at each meeting with the intention of contributing to the specific agenda items being discussed 2
Nominations • Nominations for the ECSG or sub-groups should be submitted to the ECSG Secretariat for consideration by the ECSG Chair. • Nominations can be made for the replacement of current group members or for new/independent/expert representation. • Nominations should be made by email and must include contact details, job title/position, name of the representative and a brief summary of why they should be considered/why they wish to be a member. • Where the nomination is being made to replace a current member of the group, the current member must email the Secretariat with the details of their nominated replacement. 3
Structure MCCG and UCCG are the principle groups where representations from customers can initially be brought to table concerns, issues and proposals for discussion A representative from the MCCG and ECCG will sit on the ECSG and feed in such items for consideration, deliberation and decision MCCG and UCCG updates will be provided to the ECSG and also directly to Ofgem. Ofgem will subsequently address issues or suggest their tabling at ECSG. MCCG and UCCG minutes will be published on Ofgem’s website alongside ECSG minutes 4
Structure DNOs (DNO Group) Unmetered Customers (unmetered customer ‘focus’ group UCCG) IDNOs ECSG (IDNO/ MCCG Group) Metered Customers (metered customer Other key ‘focus’ group MCCG) Expertise stakeholders and -customer recommendation representation ( ECSG sub -developers/local groups) authorities etc 5
ECSG Approach • The group seeks to facilitate and promote solutions/recommendations to specific issues through the formation of sub-groups which gather together relevant expertise • The ECSG has a role to advance or approve specific mechanisms to address issues arising for the benefit of customers • The ECSG seeks to review and consider proposals, recommendations, concerns, solutions, presentations and findings on specific issues relating to the promotion of competition or in relation to the connections industry Process • Where a specific issue is identified that is believed to be best considered by the ECSG, or where it is considered that a sub-group should be formed to look at a specific issue, these must be formally tabled to the ECSG • Where there is a general concern, this can be raised as AOB or proposed as an agenda item where it can be formally tabled or initially discussed • Sub-groups are also required to table their Terms of Reference, recommendations and findings to the ECSG for approval 6
ECSG Sub-Groups • Sub-groups of the ECSG will be formed to work on specific projects coming out of ECSG agenda. Sub-groups will provide regular updates to the ECSG. • Sub-groups have the general purpose of investigating, analysing, implementing, completing a specific project/policy question. Once the project has been completed, the sub-group may disband. These details should be outlined in the Terms of Reference of the group. • Sub-groups should agree their schedule of meetings in accordance with their agreed Terms of Reference which must be approved by the ECSG • Membership, Chair and Secretariat for these groups will be agreed at ECSG. • Membership decisions should support the completion of the particular work of a sub-group. Therefore representatives from the ECSG and external participants may be drawn on accordingly to provide experience, expertise, oversight and context. 7
Current Sub Groups Sub Group Focus Membership Extension of Contestability (EoC) Implementation of DNOs, MCCG, UCCG, Lloyds recommendations under original Register, HSE (advisor) group Disconnections Forum Formulation of a common practice Suppliers, Developers DNOs, and communication for GemServ, Ofgem (observer), Meter disconnections (facilitated by Operators GemServ) Point of Connection Sub Group To be finalised and initiated 8
ECSG Attendance List Member Organisation ECSG Representation James Veaney Chair Regulator Stacy Altman Secretariat Regulator Alex Spreadbury MEUC Large Customers representative Brian Hoy Electricity North West DNO Peter Thompson CE Electric DNO Chris Bean PowerOn MCCG representative (customers) Keith Hodson/Trevor Richards Central Networks DNO Michael Scowcroft Scottish Power DNO Steve Bolland Amey UCCG representative (customers) Steve Wood/Neil Magrath UK Power Networks DNO Catherine Falconer Scottish and Southern Energy DNO Tim Hughes Western Power DNO 9
Member Organisation ECSG Representation Ray Farrow House Builders Federation (HBF) Customer representative Graham Cotton/David Speake ESP IDNO David Overman GTC IDNO Neil Fitzsimons/Greg Smyth Inexus IDNO Ken Stewart Energetics IDNO Jason Raymond Premier Energy Consultant/developer Gareth Pritchard ASLEC Industry group representative Tim Edwards UK Lighting Board Customer representative Bob Stevenson Sheffield County Council Local Authority representative David Clare British Property Federation Customer representative TOTAL: 22 members All other current members will be kept on the distribution list Representations to the ECSG should be made formally with details submitted in advance such that the meeting agenda can be drafted 10
Membership Principles • The ECSG cannot be effective with the large numbers we have had in attendance at previous meetings • The group should be made up of no more than 20 members at any meeting • MCCG, UCCG, sub-groups and other fora exist to provide an opportunity for initial representation, collective discussion and the development of proposals. Therefore they should be utilised effectively. • Membership should be based on representation of the interests of specific key participants, customer groups and stakeholders rather than individual personal representation, e.g. ‘regulated businesses’, ‘independents’, ‘large customers’, ‘trade associations’ • Attendance at meetings should be reflective of the relevance of agenda items to specific members • Membership does not preclude the attendance of members of the wider distribution list as guest speakers on specific issues • Ofgem as chair will decide on individual/group applications for retained membership based on criteria • There exists an open door policy to extension of membership 11
Membership Criteria • The group/stakeholders a specific member represents, e.g. Large customers/Local Authority • That a member of the ECSG represents more than themselves/their organisation • That there is a specific key objective/interest that this member will champion, e.g. unmetered/distributed generation etc • There are no other fora/sub groups where this person/interest can be represented as a member of a key group, e.g. MCCG/UCCG • There are no other representatives of a specific group/interest on the ECSG (within reason) • That the membership does not distort balance of representation at the ECSG, i.e. Customer representation vs. regulated businesses vs. independents representation An existing/new member wishing to continue with or gain membership of the ECSG should satisfy the above criteria. 12
Recommend
More recommend
