Looped electricity supplies: did the government accept an elimination deadline?

No. In its response to the electricity distribution networks study, the UK government said it broadly agreed with the recommendation on accelerating preparatory network work, but did not agree that a date should be set for eliminating looped supplies. The recommendation had asked the government to set such a date so Ofgem could plan delivery and distribution network operators could develop a programme spanning multiple price-control periods. Government response [L336] [L337]

That distinction matters for planning. The response supports accelerating unlooping, not waiting for every case to become urgent. It says targeted proactive unlooping should help low-carbon technologies be installed and connected on time. It also says load-limiting devices and smart charging may be suitable alternatives in some cases, at least in the short term. These are possibilities to assess, not a blanket replacement for unlooping. Government response [L079]

The government’s stated concern with setting an elimination date was that it might result in unnecessary work. Its position therefore separates a targeted programme from a requirement to eliminate every looped supply by a government-set date. Government response [L349] Planning inference: assess where proactive unlooping would enable a timely connection, and where an alternative could meet the immediate need, rather than assuming all looped supplies must be removed to meet one national deadline. That is an interpretation of the response, not an individual connection decision.

Where ED3 fits. The response says the next electricity distribution price-control period, ED3, will run from 2028 to 2033. It welcomes Ofgem’s framework approach to strategic planning and investment ahead of need, and says the government will continue working with Ofgem as it develops the price control. The government also says it will support Ofgem in integrating a programme of low-regret activities into ED3. Government response [L071] [L073] [L355] ED3 is thus relevant to how work might be supported; its dates are not an elimination deadline for looped supplies.

What remains unknown from this evidence: the excerpts do not establish a binding unlooping timetable, final ED3 requirements, or whether the policy changed after the response. For a project decision, do not treat the rejected deadline as a rule—or the suggested alternatives as guaranteed solutions.