About this website

This website is about the network charges levied by electricity network operators in England, Wales and Scotland.

This is an independent website. It is not the official website of the distribution charging methodologies forum (DCMF) or any successor institution.

What are distribution use of system charges?

Distribution use of system charges, also called DUoS charges, are usually paid by electricity suppliers, not by customers. But they end up being recovered from customers in the rates that suppliers offer, since all suppliers have to pay distribution use of system charges.

For larger industrial and commercial customers, many electricity suppliers operate a direct pass-through of the distribution charges, or of specific parts of these charges (for example capacity charges).

The main electricity distribution network operators, also called DNOs, are six private companies (they are not the same as the large electricity supply companies, although there is some overlap).

These six companies operate under licences administered by Ofgem, a department of the UK Government. They run the networks serving most customers, but there are exceptions:

• On some recent residential, commercial, or mixed developments, electricity distribution networks on the development are run by a Government-licensed distribution network operator other than the regional DNO. These might be called IDNOs, EDNOs, LDNOs or inset networks. Operators of these networks often charge the same as the regional DNO would have.

• On some residential or industrial estates, ports, and airports, electricity is delivered through private networks with no Government licence. Those networks are typically run by the landlord. Commercial arrangements include cases where the private network operator does not levy any charges (in which case the licensed network operator serving the estate invoices suppliers as if it owned the private network), qand cases where the landlord purchases electricity at the boundary and resells it to customers on the estate. Arrangements involving separate distribution charges for the private network (so-called third-party access) appear to be at best experimental at the time of writing.

Why this site?

I set up this site in February 2012 to publish some useful non-confidential information that I happen to have on this topic, to market my consultancy services, and for the occasional bit of fun.

This site is a personal project, and any views expressed are mine alone. None of my past or current clients have any responsibility for anything on this site.

Why dcmf.co.uk?

DCMF refers to the Distribution Charging Methodologies Forum, an electricity industry talking shop from the 2010s. The DCMF has now been replaced with the uglier acronym DCMDG.

Will this site respect my privacy?

Yes. See the privacy and copyright notices.

Who is behind this site?

Franck Latrémolière — editor@dcmf.co.uk