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Under the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014; organisations must ensure that heat networks remain registered. There is a requirement to renew every 4 years. For most organisations this deadline will be 31 December 2019.
About the Heat Network Regulations
A heat supplier obligated under the regulations is defined as a person (or organisation) who supplies and charges for the supply of heating, cooling or hot water to a final customer, through either communal heating or a district heating network.
Whoever is supplying the end user with heat is classed as a heat supplier. This includes the supply of heat as part of a package – i.e. through a service contract. The contract does not need to explicitly mention the supply of heat. Shared / multi-let offices and shopping centres where heating and/or chilled water is provided to more than one tenant in a building are identified as obligated examples within the guidance document.
Requirements
Heat suppliers were required to notify the National Measurement Office of the existence of heat networks every four years. In most cases, the deadline will be 31st December 2019.
Regulatory Update
The regulations also include requirements to complete cost effectiveness calculations for installation of heat meters. The cost effectiveness tool is currently being revised by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Therefore, pending the revision of the tool it is advised that no further assessments should be undertaken.
“The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed that it would not be appropriate for them (the FCA) to impose fines or other disciplinary measures in respect of a breach of the requirement within the heat network (metering and billing) regulations 2014 (as amended), that certain heat suppliers must test whether it is cost-effective to fit heat meters in multi-occupancy buildings, and where appropriate, fit them by 31 December 2016.”
“Furthermore, it is unlikely that the FCA would take other regulatory action (where a heat supplier was separately regulated by the FCA) if the only non-compliance was in relation to the requirement to test for and fit meters where cost effective. As such, it is not considered necessary for a heat supplier to inform the FCA if it has been unable to meet this requirement.”
