customer service FAQs

Click on a question below to see the answer. If your question is not answered here, contact the Customer Service Team on +44 (0)845 036 1122 or here.

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Q. How do I view my bill online?

A. You can view your bills online by clicking the "customer login" tab in the top right of this page and logging into our eBilling Service. Watch our short eBilling demonstration for tips on how to use the eBilling service. For more information on eBilling, please speak to your Customer Service Representative.

Q. Can I still receive paper invoices?

A. Yes you can still receive paper invoices. However, as a responsible supplier, we are keen to keep paper invoicing to a minimum to support a better environment. If you do still require paper invoices please inform your Customer Service Executive and this can be arranged.

Q. What is Agreed Supply Capacity (ASC)?

A. ASC is the limit of electricity demand that the consumer has agreed they need to have from their supplier and that the supplier has agreed that their network will be able to provide continuously. It can also be called the Authorised Capacity, Supply Capacity or Available Capacity.

An Availability Charge will appear on your bill in kVA and is calculated using your Agreed Supply Capacity (ASC) which should have been previously agreed with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) as your supply will have an agreed amount of electrical load (demand) stated in the Connection Agreement you have with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). If your Maximum Demand exceeds your ASC, additional charges will be incurred and you may need to re-declare your ASC.

Q. How do I re-declare my Agreed Supply Capacity (ASC)?

A. If you need to re-declare your ASC, you will need to contact your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). Please inform us of any changes to your ASC to ensure that we pass on the correct charges. If required, we can help you with the procedures involved.

Q. What is KVA?

A. Kilo Volt Amperes. Volt-ampere is the unit used for the apparent power in an electrical system. Apparent power is a combination of true power and reactive power.

Maximum Demand and capacity charges are generally billed using kVA rather than kW.

Q. What is Maximum Demand (MD)?

A. This is the highest Demand recorded over a half-hour period, usually during a calendar month or billing period, multiplied by a factor of 2 to give the MD on an hourly basis. If your MD exceeds your ASC excess charges may be incurred and you may have to re-declare your ASC.

MD is measured in either kW or kVA depending on your meter set-up. If your meter records Reactive Import (RI) data then it will be in kVA.

Q. What is active power?

A. Active power is the useful power you need to run your business. It’s the kWhs of electrical energy used to carry out your business processes and provide your site with things like light and heat.

Q. What is Reactive Power?

A. With some electrical installations, the power that customers use is slightly more than the power they need to perform their business or manufacturing processes.

This “Surplus” power is usually referred to as reactive power. Although not receptively used, reactive power still needs to be generated to give you enough of the true power, or active power, to enable you to run procedures that use electricity.

There are certain types of equipment that have high reactive power requirements which can be caused by kinetic energy (heat) or through defective machinery. This is measured via the Reactive register on a meter and is charged to the customer depending on how much they accumulate. Reactive Power charges are normally an indication of a poor Power Factor.

Q. What is a Reactive Power charge?

A. This is a charge for your reactive power that we pass onto you from your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). Although not receptively used, reactive power still needs to be generated to give you enough of the true power, or active power, to enable you to run procedures that use electricity. This charge, when applicable, will appear on your invoice as an ad hoc charge and is the same charge we receive from your DNO.

Q. What is a Power Factor?

A. The power factor is the proportion of current in an AC circuit that is used for its intended use, such as driving a motor or machine and can be expressed as the ratio of active or true power in kilowatts (kW), to apparent power in kilovolt amperes or kVA. For example, if your site has a power factor of 0.8 then 80% of the current is being used effectively by your equipment.

Q. Is it best to have a high Power Factor?

A. Yes. The higher the power factor is, between 0.00 and 1, the more power you are using for its intended purpose. With a high power factor you will either avoid or incur lower reactive power charges.

You can arrange installation of power factor capacitors or other suitable equipment to reduce your power factor and reduce or even eliminate your reactive power.

Q. What is a Multiplication factor?

A. A multiplication factor is applied to the recorded kWh consumption to calculate the chargeable kWh consumption and maximum demand when a meter has a multiplier. If a meter has a multiplier this will show on a label on the front of the meter, i.e. x10 is a multiplier of 10 and means that the meter only records one tenth of the units consumed so a multiplication factor of 10 will be applied to the recorded consumption before the charges are applied.

For example, if your current meter reading is 59685 and your previous reading was 52685 the unit consumption from the two meter readings is 7000 kWh, however, if the meter has a multiplier of 10, the actual amount of electricity used is 7000 x 10 = 70000 kWh’s which would be the amount of kWh’s charged for on your invoice.

Q. What is a Current Transformer (CT)?

A. These are devices which take a small percentage of the electricity being used by the customer and pass it on to the meter. It is through the use of these that we have multiplication factors on some meters.

Q. What is a Kilowatt-hour (kWh)?

A. This is the standard unit of electric energy equal to one kilowatt of power supplied to or taken from an electric circuit steadily for one hour. One kilowatt-hour equals 1,000 watt-hours. Your electricity consumption is measured in kWh.

Q. What is Distribution Use of System (DUoS) charges?

A. DUoS charges are incurred through the use of the local Distribution Network Operator’s (DNO) system. Suppliers are charged each month for the use of the DNO systems. Standing charge, unit consumption, Supply Capacity and Reactive Power charges are all included in these charges.

Q. What is Transmission Use of System (TUoS) charges?

A. TUoS charges are incurred for transmitting electricity across the National Grid network from the source of generation to the network of the local distribution company. These charges are then passed on to suppliers on an annual basis.

Q. What is Triad?

A. Energy suppliers pay the National Grid for energy transmission, calculated from their demand in each UK region at the time of highest national electrical demand. These peak demand times are known as Triads. Triads always occur between November and February, and are typically between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, because industrial demand coincides with the domestic tea-time peak.

Triad charges are passed on to customers by the suppliers, based on the customers’ own demand at the time of the Triads. That’s why some customers can reduce their own bills by reducing their Triad demands.

Depending on the type of contract chosen by a customer you may see a triad instalment on your invoices. If this is the case, then an annual Triad Reconciliation will be completed for the customer following the National Grid Company declaring the 3 triads timings during March of each year.

If choosing a Fixed contract then the triad element is priced within the unit rates.

Q. What is a Half-Hourly (HH) metered supply?

A. HH meters allow for the recording and storage of electricity consumption data every half hour. Usually a communications device is connected to the meter which allows the Data Collector to retrieve the consumption data remotely. They then pass the consumption data on to your supplier. Since April 1988 it has been mandatory to have code 5 (HH) meters installed at all sites with a demand over 100kVA.

Supplies under 100kVA have historically been metered with Non Half-Hourly (NHH) meters which do not have communication devices and have to be read by a site visit. Smart metering is being introduced which will allow NHH meters to be read remotely.

Q. What is an Unmetered Supply (UMS)?

A. When it is not viable to install metering for an electricity supply and where the load is constant and predictable, such as on street lights and other street furniture, an Unmetered Supply (UMS) is more appropriate. Unmetered Supplies (UMS) exist in the half hourly and non-half hourly markets.

Q. What is a Distribution Network Operator (DNO)?

A. There are 14 licensed Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) each responsible for a distribution services area. Currently the 14 DNOs are owned by seven different groups. There are also four independent network operators (IDNO) who own and run smaller networks embedded in the DNO networks.

Electricity distribution networks carry electricity from the transmission systems and some generators that are connected to the distribution networks to industrial, commercial and domestic users.

Domestic and most commercial consumers buy their electricity from suppliers who pay the DNOs for transporting their customers' electricity along their networks. Suppliers pass on these costs to consumers. Distribution costs account for about 20 per cent of electricity bills.

Q. What is a Data Collector (DC)?

A. The DC is an organisation accredited to carry out data retrieval and data processing. The DC may be appointed by a customer but must always be accredited and contracted to the customer’s supplier.

Q. What is a Meter Operator (MOP)?

A. A MOP is an organisation accredited to install, commission, operate and maintain the meters and communications equipment that comprises a metering system. As with the DC, the MOP may be appointed by a customer and must be contracted to the supplier. The MOP provides the technical meter details to the DC to enable the DC to collect consumption data and readings.

A customer must have a MOP contract in place for a Half-Hourly (HH) metered supply.

Q. What is a Deemed Contract?

A. This is a contract which is deemed to apply following a change of tenancy when the new customer has not negotiated a bespoke contract with the supplier, or when an existing customer has not renewed their contract or moved supplier at the end of the contracted period. This type of contract has default published rates which are available here.

Q. How do I notify you that I am moving out of a property or no longer require the supply?

A. Please give us with as much notice as possible and provide details including the date of the move and the new occupier, who may be the landlord of the property. We have a standard Change of Tenancy (COT) form which we require existing customers to complete and forward to us 25 working days before the transfer as per your Terms and Conditions. Failure to provide this information could result in you being responsible for the supply after you have left the premises.

Please let us know if you require the supply to be de-energised or permanently disconnected as we will have to arrange this with other Agents.

Q. How do I let you know that I want to add a supply to my contract?

A. Please let us know as soon as possible and we will make all the arrangements with you. If it is a totally new supply we have a standard New Connection form which we will ask you to complete to assist the process.

Q. What is Rota Load Disconnection?

A. In exceptional circumstances such as a severe shortage of electricity production in the UK the Secretary of Trade and Industry will enforce the Rota Disconnection. This means that distribution areas may be required to disconnect electricity for customers for a set duration, on a rota basis.

The entire electricity network will be required to follow any instruction given in these exceptional circumstances. Find out more about Rota Disconnection.

Q. What is my Rota Load Disconnection Block and how will I know if I am to be disconnected?

A. Your rota block is identified by an initial letter and this letter will be printed on your invoice at least once a year. In the unlikely event of a severe shortage of electricity the Secretary of Trade and Industry will announce, via the media, that the Rota Load Block Disconnection procedure will be implemented. You will then use your Rota Block Letter to identify when your supply will be interrupted.

The timetable for the interruptions will be readily available if this should ever occur. If you require further information on Rota Block Disconnection, please contact your Customer Service Executive.

Q. What should I do if I experience an emergency involving an electricity supply?

A. To report power cuts or cable strikes, vandalism to substations or other network structures, cables down or other dangerous incidents, please call your local District Network Operator (DNO). We include the relevant telephone number on your invoice and you can find details here.

Q. What should I do if I experience an emergency involving a gas supply?

A. If you smell gas, believe that there is a gas leak or have any other concerns with a gas supply then please immediately call National Grid’s National Gas Emergency service on 0800 111 999.

It doesn’t matter what time of day or night you call, trained operators working round the clock will answer your call.

Q. Why is VAT being charged at the Standard Rate?

A. The standard rate of VAT will be applied automatically unless the site`s usage demand for a set billing period falls under the de minimis ruling - less than 33 units/kWh per day. This level of demand is considered to be domestic for VAT purposes so the reduced VAT rate of 5% will apply. The reduced VAT rate of 5% incurs no CCL charge.

However if your supply qualifies for exemption due to domestic, charitable non-business or education establishment purposes then a VAT declaration form must be completed. This exemption can be retrospectively applied by Suppliers depending on the effective date completed on the form.

Q. Am I CCL exempt?

A. Energy-intensive sectors of industry can obtain up to 65% (previously 80%) discount if they sign an energy efficiency agreement with the Government via their trade association.

Other exemptions include Domestic use, charities and some government buildings, and those businesses that use renewable energy.

Q. How is CCL calculated?

A. The charge is worked out using the CCL unit rate against the amount of units used in that month. If you have an 65% reduction you would only get charged CCL on 35% of your total units used.

Q. How do I make you aware of my CCL reduction?

A. A CCL exemption form known as a PP11 available from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) must be completed and provided to us before the start date of your contract.

This is in accordance with HMRC who have stated that CCL exemption forms cannot be backdated to the supply start date, although retrospective exemption may be granted. The CCL exemption forms are valid for 5 years from the date of signature.

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