Report on average time for receiving an electricity consent for connection into the electricity distribution network

April, 2019

I. Introduction

This document is drafted by KEDS, and serves as general notification on procedures for connection of the customers in the distribution network. Furthermore, it provides the average time by which the private sector practitioners receive electricity consent (approval), respectively issuance of the technical guidelines.

Connection in the electricity distribution network is regulated through the Connection Charging Methodology, which provides comprehensive procedures for applicants and users of the distribution system requiring new connections or modification of existing connections. Previously, customers had to apply for electricity consent through Supply Company, however the practice has improved with the adoption of the new regulation on Rules of General Energy Supply in 2017, thus enabling direct application to the System Operator. This further has impacted the promptness in providing answers to customers.

II. The application process

Generally, there are 4 steps from the moment the customer applies with the request to get connected into the distribution system until he actually gets connected:

1. Customer applies for electricity consent at the Distribution System Operator in the specific district. The district forwards the documents in HQ, which further proceeds them to the Department for Energy Approval and Technical Acceptance of the Distribution Company (DSO). After receiving the application, the Department for Energy Approval and Technical Acceptance within DSO, performs the necessary analysis and issues the preliminary permission for connection. 2. Once the Energy Permit (technical specifications) are provided, customer contracts a private contractor to perform the works on field. In specific cases, the works on field can be performed also by the DSO itself. Contractor performs all relevant works, including: purchase of the materials and obtaining of necessary permits (such as Municipal excavation permit). 3. After the private contractor completes field work, contractor invites DSO’s professionals and entitled engineers to inspect the work on field, respectively DSO inspects if the works done in field are in line with the technical specification provided under the step 1 (energy approval). At the same time, the customer signs the agreement with the Supplier. 4. If DSO determines that there are no issues, DSO provides the meter, connects the customers and the connection to electricity is deemed completed.

There are different type of requests for connection, however if the application fulfills all the documentation as required from the Distribution System Operator, the average time of issuing an electricity consent (technical solution/guideline) is 6‐8 working days, with a possible range of deviation.

The required documents needed for application are as follows:

 Application – which can be obtained online or hard‐copy in any district. Application requires general information such as Name/Surname, Address, contact information, and information on the destination of the construction project. Moreover, additional information should be provided with the application form such as:  Copy of the plan  The right of servitude  Construction conditions (issued from the Municipality)  Heating declaration  Business certificate  Electrical Project, drafted from the contracted business. Electrical Project must possess an executive summary, not longer than 1 page, together with Single Diagram Scheme, installed

capacity (Sinst) and full demand (Pnj)

Once these documents are provided, electrical engineer reviews the work and issues technical solutions known as electrical consent.

The following works, as specified in the electrical consent shall be perform by the private contractor or in specific cases by DSO itself. DSO doesn’t inspect the work in the construction phases, but at the end, before providing the electrical meter and connecting the customer to the grid.

The connection process may vary depending on the private contractor, however from the DSO’s perspective, issuance of the electricity consent doesn’t take longer than 6‐8 working days, and additional 1 days for inspections and connection.

III. Average time for issuing electricity consent in the year 2018

Commercial quality determines the efficiency and accuracy of resolving customers’ complaints and requests, and takes into account the mutual relationship between the customers and supplier.

In commercial quality standards, besides others, there are also new connections, through which it is recorded how quickly the energy enterprise takes measures for execution of new connections.

For the purposes of this report, and since majority of the request for connection are from commercial businesses, we will be focusing on the middle voltage requests. Moreover, taking into account that the average days for finishing the process of getting electricity consent into the distribution systems often depend on customers themselves, the extracted data relates only to cases when costumers requests were provided with completed documents and supported with all necessary documentation.

While in 2017 Distribution System Operator (DSO) received 1,156 requests, 2018 marks a 7% increase in total number of requests received in the DSO, with a total of 1,241 requests for connection

Table below shows the number of requests received per month during 2018:

No. of connection Months requests in 2018 January 70 February 55 March 83 April 112 May 119 June 102 July 130 August 102 September 106 October 151 November 124 December 87 Total requests 1241

Although the number of the requests is constantly increasing on annual basis, while the number of the employees working in the cycle both in districts and HQ of the DSO is remaining the same, the average days from the moment the customers applies for electricity consent until the electricity consent is issued are still issues within 6‐8 working days. The average time for issuing electricity consent in the year 2018 is 8 working days, as shown in the table below:

Average days for Average days for Months issuing an electricity issuing an electricity consent in 2017 consent in 2018 January 3.46 6.65 February 3.35 7.85 March 4.68 8.22 April 7.08 9.35 May 6.89 9.41 June 6.10 10.49 July 6.14 9.24 August 5.98 9.41 September 8.82 9.54 October 8.49 7.57 November 7.87 7.29 December 8.85 5.14 Average 6.48 8.4

In regards to energy sector, is separated into 7 main districts:

1. 2. 3. 4. Mitrovica 5. 6. Prishtina, and 7.

Prishtina District followed by Ferizaj district are the ones with the highest number of requests for connection, whereas District of Mitrovica is the one with the lowest number of received requests for connection.

Average days for No. of connection District issuing an electricity requests in 2018 consent in 2018 DFE 303 8.06 DGJ 110 8.33 DGL 127 8.52 DMI 100 7.75 DPE 138 8.37 DPR 318 8.86 DPZ 145 8.93 Excluded cases 303 8.45 Total 1241 8.45

These analysis are very important for the DSO, as it shows also the interest of the business, and therefore it orients DSO to properly plan its investments. Such investments would help providing better services to customers, including faster connection solutions.