Response to Ofgem’s End-to-End Connections Consultation

Response to Ofgem’s End-to-End Connections Consultation 362 KB

Citizens Advice welcomes the opportunity to respond to Ofgem’s consultation on the Connections End-to-end Review – Updated Proposals and Next Steps. We broadly support Ofgem’s proposed decisions and overall approach to improving the electricity connections process.

Our response focuses in particular on Theme 3 (meeting connection dates), Theme 4 (quality of connection offers and associated documentation), and Theme 6 (minor and smaller connections). These areas are central to improving transparency, strengthening accountability, and ensuring consumers experience reliable and fair outcomes throughout the connections journey.

We support the introduction of a strengthened Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) framework, including clearer and more robust milestones, while allowing flexibility to reflect customer circumstances and project complexity. We also support automatic and meaningful compensation, adjusted over time through an inflation mechanism, to better protect customers when standards are not met.

Greater transparency in GSOP data is essential. We recommend that Ofgem requires network companies to provide monthly breakdowns of GSOP performance, publish this information quarterly, and ensure the data is easily accessible and comparable, both across companies and over time, for customers and stakeholders. We also support further exploration of liquidated damages in connection contracts, provided these are carefully designed to strengthen accountability without creating unintended consequences for consumers. We support Ofgem’s proposals to improve the quality of connection offers, including the introduction of minimum standards through licence conditions. However, these should be supported by a standardised connection offer template and clear guidance to ensure information is presented consistently and accessibly across networks. Connection offers should clearly set out expected timelines, explain risks and causes of delay, and clearly signpost redress and escalation routes. Principles-based requirements for communication should be supported by effective monitoring and enforcement to prevent inconsistent implementation and to ensure better consumer outcomes.

Finally, we support Ofgem’s approach to improving outcomes for minor and smaller connections, but stress that delivering real benefits in practice will depend on strong implementation. Customer circumstances and vulnerability should be taken into account when applying new standards, alongside clear and accessible communication so customers understand the process, know what to expect, and understand their options for redress. Strong monitoring and enforcement will be essential. We recommend that Ofgem requires monthly connection performance data, publish it quarterly in a comparable format, and consider using financial penalties, in addition to customer compensation, to create meaningful incentives for improved performance.