Contestable Connections

Competition in Connections, DNO Contestable Connections & the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS)

Competition in Connections (CIC) is the term attributed to the opening up of the market for the design, procurement and installation of new assets necessary to accommodate a new or modified electricity connection. Everyone has the option to have connections work (Contestable Work) carried out by a Utility Connection Provider (UCP) such as Metricab, who must be a National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) accredited contractor.

Strict monitoring and appraisal of our technical capabilities and performance by Lloyds EMEA has earned us UCP status (formerly known as ICP). Lloyds EMEA operate NERS on behalf of the UK Distribution Network Operators (DNOs).
Accreditation under the scheme provides Metricab with the following benefits:

  • accreditation recognised by all UK DNOs enabling us to carry out Contestable Works nationwide
  • independent assessment and registration process, which demonstrates our proven capabilities
  • assignment of an accreditation mark which will represent our achievement of a high technical, quality and safety standard

In accordance with NERS, Metricab are permitted to carry out Contestable Work on all UK DNO networks, which in turn provides our Clients with cost saving alternatives to the services provided by the DNOs. Not only will appointing Metricab provide great financial savings, but we can also vastly improve on the completion times quoted by DNOs, which are far too often unreasonable.
Unlike other contractors that have “Partial” accreditation, Metricab has achieved Full Accreditation for the following scopes of NERS registration, which means that we have actually physically and regularly demonstrated our capabilities to Lloyds EMEA:

  • Design for LV, 11kV and 33kV
  • Civil Works including Excavating and Backfilling (also Highway works)
  • Cable Installation for LV, 11kV and 33kV
  • Cable Jointing & Terminating for LV, 11kV and 33kV
  • Substation Installation up to 33kV

Metricab can facilitate Grid Connection Capacity and Pricing Studies; Route Surveying and Proving, Acquisition Options, Leases, Servitudes, Easements, Wayleaves, Road Closure Notices, Utility Searches, Planning Permission and Access Rights. We can liaise with the DNO from Point of Connection Application (POC) to Final Adoption by the DNO. These services prove invaluable to many of our Clients.

Metricab are also accredited by Achilles UVDB, a scheme operated as a ‘qualification system’ under article 30 of the EC Utility Directives. Information is gathered about suppliers such as Metricab, e.g. financial performance, health, safety, environmental policy, CSR, products and services data and is checked for accuracy and validity. The information is then made available online to the buyer. According to a commercial electrician, the UVDB on-line system is used by all the major UK Utility organisations for any type of purchase ranging from one-off purchases to contract and framework agreements, from simple goods and engineered products through to support services and major works.