Connections Jargon Buster
This glossary is intended as an aid to explain electrical terms that you may come across.
- Adopted road
Normally refers to land owned by a local authority or Council which typically refers to a public road or footpath.
- Adopted electrical equipment/apparatus
Cables and plant to be or already owned by a DNO or other asset owning company.
- AMP (ampere, A)
A standard unit of measurement for electrical current.
- CIC
Competition in connections is the department within SP Network Connections that manages the interaction with 3rd parties wishing to connect to our electricity network.
- Connection
The cables, lines and equipment used to make an electrical supply available for use.
- Connection Charging Methodology Statement
The legal basis on which SP charge customers for new or increased electrical connections.
- Consents
The permission to allow SP Network Connections the right to install cable and plant in 3rd party land.
- Contestable works
Work which could be done by any suitably qualified 3rd party contractor.
- CT metering
The metering used for larger (usually industrial) supplies (over 70kVA)
- D0168 flow
A n authorisation document received electronically from your electricity supplier to request an MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) from the DNO.
- D0132 flow
An authorisation document received electronically from your electricity supplier when a single disconnection is required.
- Distribution
The industry and process concerned with the delivery of electrical power using any voltage levels up to, but below, 132 kV in Scotland, and up to and including 132 kV in England and Wales.
- Distributor
The Company which owns operates and maintains the electrical network in a geographical area. (SP in Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire).
- Diversion
Moving our equipment, overhead lines, cables or substations from one location to another.
- DNO (distribution network operator)
The Company which owns operates and maintains the electrical distribution network in a geographical area. (SP in Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire).
- Earthing
Part of the electricity system connected to the mass of earth to ensure safe operation.
- Easements / servitudes
The permission to allow SP Network Connections the right to install cable and plant in 3rd party land. These can only be revoked at the cost of the land owner, and are therefore considered to be more "permanent" than a Wayleave.
- ECOES
Electricity Central Online Enquiry Service, a national shared DNO system which records current and previous history of MPANs.
- EHV / Extra high voltage
Is Electricity supplied at 33,000 Volts.
- Energy supplier
The company who the customer enters into an agreement with for the supply of their electricity. The electricity supplier is also responsible for arranging the installation or removal of any required metering. This may or may not be the same company as the local DNO.
- Fault
An unplanned, unpredictable event affecting supply to customers or causing damage to equipment. These are predominantly caused by external influences such as ice and lightning. Faults are made safe by protective gear.
- Hertz
This is the measurement of Frequency which is normally 50Hz for electrical networks in Scotland and in the UK.
- HSE (Health and Safety Executive)
The government body that is responsible for overseeing, auditing, and promoting good work health and safety practice throughout the UK.
- HV / High voltage
Electricity supplied at 11,000 Volts.
- IEE
Institution of Electrical Engineers superseded by the IET.
- IET
Institution of Engineering and Technology (Successor to the IEE) – The IET is a professional body for the electrical energy industry, among others. It controls professional standards and helps to produce wiring regulations for domestic and commercial premises.
- kVA
kilo volt amperes is the measure of electrical (apparent) power which measures electrical demand, and that SP require to design the necessary connection. The equation for calculating this is 1,000 x Volts x amps (for practical purposes, equivalent to kilowatts (kW)).
- kW (kilo watt) 1,000 watts
A standard unit of measurement of electrical power.
- Land rights
Generic term covering all legal consents associated with provision of electrical connections.
- Lease
Legal Agreement to occupy property owned by others. Normally governed by Landlord and Tenant Act.
- LV / low voltage
The supply voltage to domestic and small commercial premises typically 230/415 volts.
- Main
An underground cable or overhead line distributing electricity to more than 1 customer.
- Metering
Equipment used to measure the amount of energy used.
- MOP
This is the Meter Operator who is the company that will carry out the installation and maintenance of your electricity meter.
- MPAN
The Meter Point Administration Number is the unique number which identifies the premises to be supplied. This is required by the Energy Supplier for metering and billing purposes.
- MU / Multi utility
Is works which include gas, water or telecom connections and the associated works.
- MVA (mega volt ampere)
Is unit measure that we require to design the necessary connection. The equation for calculating this is 1 million x volts x amps.
- MW (mega watt)
The unit of measure equal to 1 million watts.
- NERS
A list of qualified 3rd parties qualified to carry out contestable works.
- NCTS
The New Connections Tracking System used by SP internally to update and track progress/update of MPANS.
- Non contestable
Works which can only be carried out by suitably authorised DNO staff.
- NRSWA
New Roads and Street Works Act – determines how and when we can work on adopted roads and footpaths and how much notice should be provided to the local authority.
- OFGEM (Office of Gas and Electricity Markets)
The governing body that set the standards by which all DNO’s in the UK operate.
- Off site
The area of work which is deemed to be out with the area under the control of the customer / builder/developer.
- On site
The area of work which is deemed to be within the area under the control of the customer / builder/developer.
- Panel Board
High voltage switchgear consisting of several separate switches.
- POC (Point of connection)
Where the new supply is connected to the existing electrical network.
- PSCC
Prospective Short Circuit Current is the potential maximum amount of current that could flow in the event of a fault.
- Reinforcement
Work required on the electrical network to facilitate the connection load that has been requested.
- RMU (Ring Main Unit)
A piece of electrical equipment used for operating and reconfiguring the electrical distribution network.
- Service alteration
Relocation of a service or meter position.
- Service connection
A cable connecting a premise to the Mains in the electricity network.
- Single phase
A supply at 230Volts (+10v to -6v) and can be used for loads up to 20KW.
- Solkor network
A sophisticated protection scheme for the high voltage network which ensures that in the event of a fault, the minimum amount of system is disconnected. It usually means that customers do not loose supply in the event of a fault.
- SP
Scottish Power.
- Substation
Accommodation containing the equipment necessary for transforming the voltage level, monitoring, protecting, and operating the electricity network.
- Substation accommodation
The building/Compound required to contain the necessary SP equipment.
- Switchgear
Switches to control and operate the high voltage network.
- Three phase or 4 wire supply
A supply at 400 Volts (+10V to -6V) and can be used for loads over 20KW.
- Three phase (or polyphase)
Amethod of delivery of electrical power whereby power is shared equally among three separate conductors (or 'phases'). This allows more efficient transfer of electrical power, and includes an Earthing or neutral conductor for distribution voltages.
- TN-C-S Earthing (Terra Neutral Combined Separate)
Standard method of providing an earth connection to the premises (also known as PME – protective multiple earthing).
- TNS Earthing (Terra Neutral Separate)
Also known as SNE which is separate neutral earthing and is not bonded to the earthing.
- Track
The excavated route for new cables to be installed. Traffic Sensitive works - Work likely to cause disruption to traffic and which may require traffic management.
- Transformer
A piece of electrical apparatus that transforms ( changes ) the voltage of the supply down from EHV to HV or HV to LV to be more suitable for customers’ use and can either be ground mounted ( i.e. inside the small electrical buildings half the size of a garage ) or pole mounted ( often between 2 poles supported on a metal bar at height ) Transformers trade current for voltage to harness efficiency gains available in the transmission of electrical power.
- TT Earthing (Terra Terra)
No earth is supplied.
- V /Volts / Voltage
This is the unit pressure the electricity builds up in the cable much like water pressure in a tap.
- Wayleaves
The consent to allow SP Network Connections the right to install cable and plant in 3rd party land.
