The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026 came into force on 27th August 20261. The instrument was made on 16th July 2026 and laid before Parliament on 17th July 20261. It amends two existing sets of regulations and creates a legal definition of a "plug-in microgenerator"1.
The definition covers a source of energy that "generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity", has a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800 watts, is intended for connection to a low voltage consumer's installation by means of a standard plug and socket, is designed to operate in parallel with a distributor's network, and is not designed to import electrical energy for storage for later supply, other than for control or auxiliary functions permitted by the specification1.
The regulations also allow a type of standard plug intended for use with a plug-in microgenerator to be approved by a notified body, where the plug does not conform to BS 1363 only because that standard prohibits or restricts use of the plug for connecting an electricity-generating device to a socket-outlet, and otherwise conforms to BS 1363 and complies with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification1. The specification is defined as version 2, published by the Secretary of State on 16 July 20261.
"The effect of the amendment is that where the source of energy is a plug-in microgenerator, it must not be installed or operated unless it complies with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification."
Regulations 1 and 2 extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; regulation 3 extends to England and Wales and Scotland1.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Made | 16th July 2026 |
| Laid before Parliament | 17th July 2026 |
| Coming into force | 27th August 2026 |
| Maximum rated AC output | 800 watts |
| Specification version | Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, version 2 |
Why it matters for households
The instrument sets the terms on which a plug-in solar device can be connected to a home's wiring through an ordinary plug and socket, rather than through a fixed installation. The 800 watt ceiling and the requirement to operate in parallel with a distributor's network define the boundary between a plug-in device and a larger installation. The prohibition on importing energy for storage, apart from control or auxiliary functions permitted by the specification, separates these devices from battery systems.
The change to the plugs regulations addresses a specific conflict: BS 1363 contains a provision that prohibits or restricts using a standard plug to connect an electricity-generating device to a socket-outlet. The amendment allows a notified body to approve a plug type that departs from BS 1363 only on that point, provided it complies with the interim specification. Until a plug type is approved on that basis, the position for any given product has not been reported.
For a household, the practical effect is that the safety rules for plug-in solar now rest on a published specification rather than on the general plug standard alone. The UK home energy regulation and policy guide sets out how such instruments fit into the wider framework, and the regulation and policy hub carries further coverage.
What happens next
The regulations are in force from 27th August 20261. No further commencement dates are set out in the instrument. The approval of individual plug types by notified bodies, and any products brought to market under the specification, have not been reported.