DNO reneged on quote for new connection

[New to this]

Tearing my hair out; in Jan 24 several months after submitting our application, we were told by our DNO that we could have our new connection and a quote & proposal offered at about £12K for the work.
Fast forward a few weeks, we went back to ask them to look again for an alternative route as that first one wouldn't work, too close to the main roots of a 300-400 year old Oak in the boundary line.  They've now come back and said they think the first quote was incorrect, that the line won't cope with our new connection and they've referred it up to the detailed or senior design team.  

This despite my explaining - again - that we are building a passivhaus with a tiny heat load requirement, no ASHP etc etc all the ground I covered with them the first time around.
The inference on the phone today is that we could be looking at upwards of £100K to upgrade the line - we're on the lowest power and the transformer is very small currently.  
I'm heartbroken; not only have we spent several thousands (tens of) since they gave an affordable quote on surveys and fees, but this feels like The Dream going up in smoke.  I now have to wait another 4-6 weeks for a decision. I've logged a complaint on the basis two people worked on the quote last year and accepted the load, now one chap has reviewed it and says 'no'. 
Appreciate there's probably nothing I can do but has anyone got any ideas of what else I could try / who else I could talk to etc please?

[JohnMo]

At those price I would tell the grid to take a walk and do a full off grid. Do you have plenty of space for PV? And a generator for mid winter.g

[garrymartin]

The whole charging structure changed on 1st April 2023 - you have to pay for extension assets (connection) but should not have to pay for reinforcement assets (cable and transformer upgrades).

 

https://connections.nationalgrid.co.uk/significant-code-review/

 

 

[Bozza]

Agree with @JohnMo, if it’s going to be anywhere near what they have indicated, go offgrid.  
 

+ you’re building passive anyway

+ you’re in a sunny part of country

+ no overhead wires

+ no energy bills

+ no power cuts

 

approach it as an opportunity or a hurdle to overcome.   Some build 100%off grid by choice.  Don’t give up on the dream.  It’s still doable.  While you’re waiting the 4-6 weeks start speaking to solar & battery storage firms and those here who know more about the off grid stuff.  So when the quote comes in you have choices.

 

 

[Susie]

It really should not be that much you only pay for your part of the upgrade not the village or street as per the link from garrymartin. 

[New to this]

10 hours ago, garrymartin said:

The whole charging structure changed on 1st April 2023 - you have to pay for extension assets (connection) but should not have to pay for reinforcement assets (cable and transformer upgrades).

 

https://connections.nationalgrid.co.uk/significant-code-review/

 

 

Thank you for this - how can I tell whether it's classed as extension or reinforcement, as clearly it's better for me if it comes under the latter ... should I be asking them to increase supply provision to my existing home here perhaps (as new build is in garden)?

 

[Susie]

100k suggests your paying for the whole upgrade.

ask them why the increase from 12k

 

[garrymartin]

Be careful that when I asked National Grid (Western Power) for an estimate, they included all the network reinforcements on my estimate. When I challenged that, they said they always include them on a desk-based estimate and I'd need to formally request the connection to get the more accurate cost that would just cover the extension assets. Seems to me to be a mechanism for putting people off that don't know about the charging structure changes...

[Kelvin]

51 minutes ago, New to this said:

Thank you for this - how can I tell whether it's classed as extension or reinforcement, as clearly it's better for me if it comes under the latter ... should I be asking them to increase supply provision to my existing home here perhaps (as new build is in garden)?

 

Regardless the new legislation states you don’t pay for the reinforcement just the extension assets. It’s a new connection to a new property (demand). Here’s a link to the full decision. My first quote £26.5k which I contested and this reduced £5k as they admitted they’d made an error. The final bill was £450. 

 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-05/Access SCR - Final Decision.pdf

 

Edited May 2 by Kelvin

[Kelvin]

This explains the difference between extension assets and reinforcement just in case it’s not clear. 
 

https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/connectology/network-reinforcement-and-network-extension/#:~:text=Extension assets are new assets that are used to connect,where the metering is located

[New to this]

On 02/05/2024 at 09:39, Kelvin said:

This explains the difference between extension assets and reinforcement just in case it’s not clear. 
 

https://roadnighttaylor.co.uk/connectology/network-reinforcement-and-network-extension/#:~:text=Extension assets are new assets that are used to connect,where the metering is located

That's super helpful, thank you very much.  They've now said £7K, they will give me my connection. Still staggered at £7K when I'm doing 90% of the trenching - literally - but I don't think I have any choice do I? Who would I even complain to about the DNO quote ... it's a monopoly situation isn't it? 

 

[Canski]

I'm glad you had a good outcome. My initial quote was for £4300 and then I had delays (invisible bats)

I couldn't proceed with the first quote and it expired. My next quote was £16500. I felt that I had no choice but to proceed as I needed power. When the dust has settled I will write a complaint to OFGEN but I don't expect any results.

 

 

[Kelvin]

5 hours ago, New to this said:

That's super helpful, thank you very much.  They've now said £7K, they will give me my connection. Still staggered at £7K when I'm doing 90% of the trenching - literally - but I don't think I have any choice do I? Who would I even complain to about the DNO quote ... it's a monopoly situation isn't it? 

 

You can keep pushing but it’s far less than the original £12k which they claimed was an error. The potential £100k+ was likely scare tactics to make you think the much lower quotes are a bargain. Call me cynical. 
 

Anyway £7k is within your budget I assume so get that locked in. You can argue the toss later. Try and save £3000 or so elsewhere. 
 

My experience of the DNOs is they are all over the place with this driven by inexperienced designers. I got umpteen different estimates and quotes some they said were in error and some based on incorrect data they held about the line. In the end it cost me £450 after I got £600 refunded. That £450 must also have been wrong because they had 3 guys on-site for half a day plus the cost of the 3 or 4 other folk I dealt with, the cost of the easement, the cost of the materials, their retained margin etc.