Explanatory note

These Regulations, which come into force on 6 April 2013, amend the Electricity (Applications for Consent) Regulations 1990 in so far as they make provision for applications for consent under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 (“the 1989 Act”) to install or keep installed an electric line above ground in England and Wales.

Regulation 2(3) increases the application fees payable for applications for consent under section 37 of the 1989 Act by replacing the existing fee of £50 for all overhead line applications with a fee of £200 for lines with a nominal capacity of up to 132kV and a fee of £700 for lines with a nominal capacity of more than 132kV. Regulation 2(4) introduces an additional fee of £375 where an overhead line constitutes EIA development, as defined in the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 (“the EIA Regulations”).

Regulation 2(5) introduces a new fee of £60 payable when the Secretary of State is requested (under regulation 5 of the EIA regulations) to give a written statement of opinion as to whether an overhead line constitutes EIA development within the meaning of the EIA Regulations.