THE ELECTRICITY SAFETY, QUALITY AND CONTINUITY REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2012

Connections to installations or to other networks

26.—(1) A person shall not make or alter a connection from a distributor’s network to a consumer’s installation, a street electrical fixture or to another distributor’s network without that distributor’s consent, unless such consent has been unreasonably withheld.

(2) A distributor shall not give their consent to the making or altering of the connection referred to in paragraph (1), where they have reasonable grounds for believing that—

(a) the consumer’s installation, street electrical fixture or other distributor’s network fails to comply with British Standard Requirements or these Regulations; or

(b) the connection itself will not be so constructed, installed, protected and used or arranged for use, so as to prevent, as far as is reasonably practicable, danger or interruption of supply.

(3) Any dispute between a person to whom paragraph (1) refers and the distributor, arising from delay in giving or refusal to give the consent required by paragraph (1) by virtue of the provisions of paragraph (2) which cannot be resolved between them, may be referred by either of them to the Department who shall appoint a suitably qualified person to determine the dispute and to order as they think fit whether the costs (or any part of them) associated with the determination should be borne by one or other of the parties.

(4) Following the determination by the person appointed by the Department, the distributor shall grant or withhold the consent required in paragraph (1) as appropriate, subject to the conditions which the person appointed by the Department may stipulate in their determination.