Linking MPANs?

gterr

Hi there,

Two questions about the electricity supply to a building. The building is leased by a charity and I have just joined the board of directors.


1. The building is small (about 100 sq meters in total) was previously split into two small offices plus a small communal area. It currently has three separate electricity meters, one for each area (three separate single phase supplies) and three MPANs. The charity currently has very big bills and pays three separate standing charges. Leaving aside any rewiring issues, is it possible to link the MPANs in order for them to pay just one standing charge?


2. The charity doesn't have any big machinery - a small amount of office equipment, domestic kitchen with cooker, washing machine and drier, and a total of 4 domestic storage heaters. It could probably manage with one single phase supply for the entire building. However, if the charity ever vacates the property the landlord may ask them to return the wiring to a form in which the three parts could be metered separately again.


Can you suggest a solution that might help? Can the existing three single phase supplies be retained and combined somehow into a single supply? The charity's electrician has suggested a move to a three phase supply. I know nothing about 3-phase. How would this help?


Thanks for your time.

Ectophile

I assume the supply to the building is 3-phase, then split into three single-phase supplies. If that's the case, then the three meters could be replaced with one, with minimal re-wiring. That way you'd only get one bill and one standing charge, albeit probably a higher standing charge than any one of the existing ones.

The alternative would be to have two of the single phase supplies disconnected, and re-wire everything to run off the one remaining. That's more work for the electrician, but would cut the standing charges. You'd have to check that all the loads will fit onto one phase.

footyguy

Get expert advice

gterr

Ectophile wrote: »

I assume the supply to the building is 3-phase, then split into three single-phase supplies. If that's the case, then the three meters could be replaced with one, with minimal re-wiring. That way you'd only get one bill and one standing charge, albeit probably a higher standing charge than any one of the existing ones.

The alternative would be to have two of the single phase supplies disconnected, and re-wire everything to run off the one remaining. That's more work for the electrician, but would cut the standing charges. You'd have to check that all the loads will fit onto one phase.

Actually, no. There are three separate single phase supplies serving the building. The first serving the left hand side, the second serving the right, and the third serving the central shared area (entrance lobby and toilet). At one time the building was leased to two separate small businesses. Since the present concern (a charity) took over we have occupied the whole of the building. The left hand supply has a Total Heating Total Control radio meter from Scottish and Southern, and runs the storage heaters amongst other things. We don't have a hot water tank.


The electrician has visited (unfortunately when I wasn't there) and has recommended that the building be rewired starting with a 3-phase supply. He will explain it to me at some point. The main thing we have to remember is that if we ever move to new premises the landlord may insist that we restore the supply so that the left, right and lobby can be served by separate metered supplies. Sub-meters from a single supply may not be deemed adequate, since if the building is subsequently occupied by two separate businesses they will need to arrange their own supply contracts.

Ectophile

OK. In that case, you'd have to check the cost of getting the electricity supplier to run in a 3-phase supply. It may not be worth it when you see the bill.

It might be worth looking at what the cheapest option is - perhaps just lose one of the supplies.

gterr

Ectophile wrote: »

OK. In that case, you'd have to check the cost of getting the electricity supplier to run in a 3-phase supply. It may not be worth it when you see the bill.

It might be worth looking at what the cheapest option is - perhaps just lose one of the supplies.

Would a 3-phase supply allow us to return to three separate supply meters if we were to move out?


Failing that I wonder if we could look at ditching the storage heaters and moving to standard meters for all three single phase supplies, and switching to a cheaper tariff - perhaps one with a lower standing charge.

Ectophile

A single three-phase supply can be treated as three single phase supplies. Flats are often done like that - three phase supply to the building, then split into separate phases for each flat.

However, you would need to call in the supplier again to convert back to three separate meters when you leave. So that would be another bill.

It may not be worth it in the long term.