Citizens Advice response to Ofgem consultation: Getting more out of our electricity networks by reforming access and forward-looking charging arrangements
In summary:
It is encouraging that this consultation has built on the work of the Charging Futures Task Forces, which is evident throughout the consultation documentWe welcome the proposed Significant Code Review and believe that this should be comprehensive.
We believe that electricity charging reforms should ensure that consumers face fair costs for delivery of an essential service, especially those who are unable to respond to Time of Use (ToU) tariffs or are vulnerable and need energy throughout the day.
We agree that access rights at a domestic and micro-business level should be reviewed. However, significant research is required to ensure that consumers are protected should ‘core’ use be implemented. We are keen to further understand the research Ofgem are planning to carry out on this topic.
We believe that improved queue management and more efficient use of network capacity at transmission and distribution levels could have benefits for consumers and other network users.
For consistency and fairness, transmission access arrangements and forward looking charges should be reviewed alongside distribution arrangements. There should not be an assumption that transmission arrangements do not need improving.