David Hansen wrote:

On Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:09:06 -0000 someone who may be "Christian
McArdle" wrote this:-
Unfortunately, I get a 404 for my supplier...

Scottish & Southern? So you do. If that's how helpful they get then
they deserve to get their main fuses pulled by meddling amateurs...

And for my area, Scottish Power, I get the following bull****:
[snip]

But item 6 in the menu on the right leads you to:

"Occasionally customers require a temporary connection(s) to be made
available, for a site hut for example. This work is fully chargeable to
the customer and will be provided with a number of restrictions such as
the type of earthing provided. Temporary disconnections can also be
carried out but again this is a fully chargeable activity.

"Where temporary disconnection is required to allow work to be carried
out on a customers’ own internal equipment, a two pole switch can be
fitted which will permit customers to arrange for their electrical
contractor to carry out the disconnection and reconnection by use of the
switch. We can be contacted during normal working hours to discuss the
options and to provide a quotation."

Whereas in the EDF Networks area we get a 3-page PDF:

"If you require EDF Energy’s electrical connection to a property to be
temporarily deenergised, for example, to allow work to go ahead safely
on a customer’s electrical installation, you must initially contact the
company that supplies power (ie, the company to whom bills are paid).

"Because of EDF Energy’s statutory obligations, under the Health and
Safety at Work Act, Electricity Act, Utilities Act, the Electricity at
Work Regulations and the Electricity Safety Quality and Continuity
Regulations, EDF Energy is not able to permit customers, electricians
or any other parties to remove meter seals, or operate or work upon,
distribution or metering equipment owned or operated by EDF Energy.

"Primarily, EDF Energy has a duty under section 3 of the Health and
Safety at Work Act to protect persons from danger from its undertakings.
EDF Energy does not believe it can discharge its duty of care if it
allows uncontracted parties to operate the cut-out fuse, exit
point isolation devices, or any other distribution or metering equipment
owned or operated by EDF Energy.

"Once a request for de-energisation has been made by either the
customer, or person undertaking work on behalf of the customer, the
appointed Electricity Supplier will instruct either the Meter Operator,
or the relevant distribution company, ie EDF Energy, to deenergise
the premises. In the case of fuse-isolated Low Voltage supplies
de-energisation will ordinarily be undertaken by the Meter Operator.

"Alternatives to seeking de-energisation and re-energisation of the main
supply via the appointed Electricity Supplier may exist. Some
Electricity Suppliers offer the fitting of customer operable isolators
(involving a short duration disconnection to the customer’s
installation) on the customer’s side of the meter, i.e. ‘load-side’.
This enables the customer’s installation to be made dead at the
electrician’s convenience, without the need to have the main supply
de-energised, and avoids the need for repeat visits. EDF Energy
recommends that customers and electricians enquire with a range of
Electricity Suppliers to confirm whether they offer this type of added
value convenience service.

"Depending on the type of service offered by the supplier, the customer
operable isolator may be provided by the Electricity Supplier, or they
may agree to connect the electricity supply from the electricity meter
into an isolator provided by the customer, or customer’s electrician.
In such circumstances ‘load side’ isolators would not belong to, or be
the responsibility of, EDF Energy unless explicitly agreed and
explicitly labelled by EDF Energy as EDF Energy’s property.

"At this time EDF Energy, as a distribution company, does not offer
customer operable ‘loadside’ isolator installation services for fitting
to existing installations. The company is considering whether its
current de-energisation arrangements can be improved. However, a
number of aspects, including statutory obligations, civil and commercial
law, ownership of ‘load-side’ isolators and consent from affected
parties, such as Electricity Suppliers, Meter Operators and Meter
Providers, will need to be taken into consideration."

--
Andy