Octopus Energy and UK Power Networks (UKPN) have completed a pilot that allowed Octopus engineers to carry out fuse upgrades at the same time as heat pump installations, UKPN announced on 1 February 2023. The trial ran from February 2022 to February 2023 and, according to UKPN, was "such a success that it is now being rolled out for electric vehicle charger fuse upgrades too"1.
Under the scheme, UKPN trained dozens of Octopus Energy engineers to perform fuse upgrades alongside heat pump installations on its network1. UKPN describes this as the first time an accredited energy supplier has been allowed to perform fuse upgrades in the UK, a task traditionally carried out by distribution network operators (DNOs)1. Octopus Energy is described by UKPN as the UK's third largest energy supplier, and UKPN as the largest distribution network operator1.
The practical effect for Octopus customers is that a heat pump can now be installed at the same time as the fuse upgrade is performed in the home, rather than as separate visits1. UKPN says the new process reduces handoffs and shortens the overall time taken to get low carbon technology working1. It adds that households often need a supply upgrade when switching to heat pumps or electric cars because those technologies require more power to be directed to the property, and that these upgrades have historically been managed by the DNO and in certain parts of the country can take up to 30 days to install1.
"By carrying out fuse upgrades at the same time as EV chargers and heat pumps, Octopus has not only saved homeowners time, but opened up a whole new world of possibilities for those who are itching to switch to green transport and heat."
The two partners are calling on other DNOs and suppliers to adopt similar processes, so that simple supply upgrades can be delivered by accredited suppliers during installation visits1. Ian Cameron, Director of Customer Service and Innovation at UK Power Networks, said training Octopus engineers means the work can be done "there and then when the heat is needed, quickly and safely", and that collaboration across the industry is key to the UK's Net Zero ambitions1. A customer identified as Chris from Bedfordshire, who had one of the first fuse installations from Octopus Energy, said the process was "super fast and easy" and allowed the switch to green heating1.
Why it matters for households
A fuse upgrade, sometimes called a supply upgrade, raises the capacity of the connection between a home and the local electricity network. It becomes relevant when a household adds a load that draws more power than the existing supply comfortably supports, which is the situation UKPN describes for both heat pumps and electric car chargers1. The significance of this trial is administrative rather than technical: the same visit that installs the equipment can also carry out the upgrade, instead of the household waiting on a separate DNO job that UKPN says can take up to 30 days in some parts of the country1.
For a home's energy independence, the constraint being addressed is the grid connection itself rather than the choice of technology. A household that wants to run heating or transport from electricity rather than gas or petrol needs a supply that can carry the load, and the delay in obtaining that upgrade sits between the decision and the working installation. The trial shows one route to shortening that gap, but it applies to Octopus Energy customers on UKPN's network, and the extension to electric vehicle chargers is described only as a rollout, with no dates, eligibility criteria or costs given1. Whether other suppliers and network operators adopt the same process is not reported; the partners have said they want them to1.
What happens next
UKPN states that the approach is now being rolled out for electric vehicle charger fuse upgrades, following the heat pump trial1. No start date, completion date or scope for that rollout has been reported. The call for other DNOs and suppliers to introduce comparable processes has been made but no commitments from them have been reported1.