Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014: proposed amendments

The closing date for this consultation is now 11:45pm on 24 January 2020 (extended due to the election period and to allow additional time for stakeholder review of technical components).

This consultation sets out proposals to amend the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations to ensure, where technically feasible and cost-effective, that:

• final consumption metering devices are installed on heat and cooling networks
• billing is based on consumption

In response to requests from stakeholders we have published a technical appendix to this consultation. It contains an extract from the draft user guide, and provides additional information about the draft metering cost-effectiveness assessment tool. The tool itself is currently being tested and may be amended following the consultation.

Please read the appendix together with the consultation and integrate your comments on the tool in your response. If you have already responded, you can send further comments to: heatnetworks@beis.gov.uk.

The consultation seeks views on the introduction of 3 building classes to which a range of categories of buildings are assigned:

• the ‘Viable’ class (meters must be installed)
• the ‘Exempt’ class (meters not required)
• the ‘Open’ class (meters or heat cost allocators required if cost-effective)

We are consulting further on the proposed updated methodology and associated tool for assessing the cost-effectiveness of meter installations for buildings in the ‘Open’ class.

We also propose to extend the scope of the current requirements on meter accuracy, maintenance and billing to all installed metering devices.

We would like views from:

• heat suppliers
• businesses supporting metering and billing
• landlords
• local authorities and housing associations with heat networks
• consumer groups
• consumers on heat networks
• the wider heat network industry