What obligations does the distribution company have regarding the quality of electricity delivered to consumers?

What obligations does an electricity distribution company have regarding the quality of electricity delivered to the consumer?

An electricity distribution undertaking is a company licensed to carry out this activity in a specified territory.

In Bulgaria, licensed distribution companies include ERM West AD, Elektrorazpredelenie Yug EAD and Elektrorazpredelenie Sever AD. The company maintains and develops the distribution network and takes the measures necessary for it to function properly. It provides funding, plans and carries out network development, repairs, maintenance and preventive servicing of energy installations, and promptly remedies any faults identified.

Point 3.2.1.3.2 of the Methodology for reporting performance against targets and monitoring electricity quality and service quality for network operators, public providers and end suppliers, adopted by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission by Decision No. 87 of 17 June 2010, provides as follows:

Under normal operating conditions:

• Over any one-week period, 95% of the ten-minute mean root-mean-square supply voltage values must lie within Un ±10%;
• All ten-minute mean root-mean-square supply voltage values must lie between 15% below and 10% above the nominal voltage Un.

Under the electricity distribution licences issued by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, the licensee must ensure continuous distribution of electricity of a specified quality and serve consumers in accordance with the supply quality indicators set by the Commission. It must meet the electricity quality indicators and the initial service quality values, and attain the service quality targets within the time limits and on the conditions set by the Commission. Each Commission decision setting quality indicators for the licensee forms an integral part of the relevant licence.

Under Article 22(1), (5) and (7) of the Energy Act, read with Article 147(2) of Ordinance No. 3, the Commission may issue binding directions if electricity quality falls short. For example, it may require the following:

The distributor must submit a timetable to the Commission setting out what it will do to improve the supply voltage at a particular site.

After carrying out those directions, the distributor must ensure that the electricity delivered to the inspected site meets the indicators in point 3.2 of the Methodology.

This article does not constitute a legal opinion or advice about any particular situation or person. The author does not claim to cover every aspect of the quality of electricity delivered to a customer’s connection point. For help with a similar matter, consult a lawyer experienced in energy law and disputes with distribution companies.