NIA SSEN 0083 DigiLoop

Key Activities

A looped service is where two or more properties share an electricity service cable connecting them to their local low voltage electricity network (as a property’s electricity supply is ‘looped’ to its neighbours’ cutout via a smaller cable). There are typically two properties looped together, although it can be more, and looped services are often found in terraced or semi-detached properties, although occasionally they can also be present in detached properties and flats. This technique was carried out primarily in the 1970s and 1980s as a simpler and more cost-efficient way to connect properties to the local network, yet was discontinued by DNOs in the 1990s and 2000s.

When customers contract with a LCT installer to connect a device such a heat pump or electric vehicle (EV) charger, they are typically asked as part of the application to the DNO whether the property has a looped service cable or not. This is because for some DNOs (SSEN being one) their policies on permitting LCTs to connect to looped services requires some kind of intervention. This is either the use of a load limiter to avoid the LCT drawing power at peak periods or the removal of the loop (referred to as unlooping) to give each property their own dedicated service cable connecting them to the local low voltage network. This is because of potential safety concerns – whilst each property can technically draw up to its own fuse limit (50, 60, 80 or 100 amps), the shared assets may not be able to support all properties doing so simultaneously, such as when using LCTs. When the total demand exceeds the fuse rating of the loop for a sustained period, the fuse should eventually blow, cutting off the supply. However, before this happens, network assets, such as cables, joints, and connectors, may be exposed to sustained high currents, leading to overheating, thermal degradation, and increased wear and tear. It is possible that this would cause failure of those components, which would result power cuts and safety issues.

DNOs reviewing LCT connection applications are able to use their own connectivity records along with the photographs submitted by the installer and their statement regarding presence of a looped service, however confirming whether a customer is at the end of a loop or simply connected via a dedicated single service cable (which looks the same on a photo) requires either DNO records to be analysed or a site visit to determine whether a looped service is present or not.

In the report “Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research” commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) (Unlooping Electricity Network Connections Research: summary report) they estimate that 11-17% of Great Britain’s housing stock (3.1 – 4.7 million homes) may be affected by looped services. The report also notes that DNOs have inconsistent connectivity records – and these data gaps and inconsistent records make it difficult to assess the full scale of the issue. This can also create delays as it forces a site visit to be carried out to truly confirm no looped service is present before an LCT application can be fully processed. It can
often take several days or weeks for a site visit to take place, typically as a result of availability and scheduling issues.

In addition to these delays at the start of a customer’s LCT application, when a looped service is identified and plans are made to remove it, sharing those unlooping plans with all affected customers in a bid to seek consent for works to go ahead often requires numerous visits. This introduces additional delays, again typically as a result of availability and scheduling issues.

The project will aim to identify ways to reduce the need for these physical visits to A) confirm if properties neighbouring the one making the LCT connection application are looped, and B) share unlooping plans with all affected parties, and understand (via industry engagement and customer research) the viability of these.

This should enable faster processing of LCT applications and an improved customer experience, along with efficiency savings for DNOs by removing the costs of staff repeatedly travelling to the properties involved.

Expected Outcomes

The project will aim to deliver the following objectives:

1. Customer-tested insights into the optimal language, framing, and channels to support customer engagement;
2. Understanding of the feasibility of energy suppliers sharing asset data (photo and/or text) captured as a result of meter
   reading/installing activities;
3. Customer expectations and requirements for DNOs to digitally share unlooping plans (and handle correspondence
   between the parties);
4. Identification of impact on processing time for LCT applications and reduction in DNO costs.

Project Budget

£157,159

Start/End Date

June 2026 – March 2027

Project Manager

Richard Hartshorn

Additional Resource

NIA SSEN 0083 : DigiLoop : ENA Smarter Networks Portal