Guidance on equipment

in meter boxes
05/09/2023

Electrical equipment associated with the consumer’s electrical

installation is increasingly being found within the meter cabinet of

domestic and similar premises. The space within such cabinets is

limited and typically allocated for specific usages by the distributor and

energy supplier and therefore, should not be used to house other

equipment. If this guidance is ignored and inappropriate equipment is

installed within an enclosure, restricting the activities of the distributor

or supplier, customers may incur financial penalties to have such

equipment relocated. This is likely to lead to customer complaints

against the contractor originally responsible for the installation and

result in reputational damage for the installer.

Introduction

When an electrical supply is

laid on to a domestic or similar
premises, the host Distribution
Licence Holder will require the
provision of a suitable
enclosure at the service
position to house the intake and
metering equipment. Although
this enclosure is provided with
the property, the distributor will
specify that only equipment
belonging to the distributor and
meter operator (MOP) should
be installed therein.
Industry guidance on meter enclosure provision

The Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the body representing energy

networks in the UK and Ireland. The ENA provide guidance within Appendix
B (Spatial requirements for whole current metering) of its publication Energy
Recommendation G87. Issue 2: 2015 – Guidelines for the Provision of Low
Voltage Connections to Multiple Occupancy Buildings (EREC G87) on the
minimum provision of space in meter enclosures. This is summarised in
Fig 1.

Fig 1. ENA EREC G87 guidance on the installation of whole current

metering equipment at the service position
It should be noted that the arrangement of equipment as laid out in EREC
G87 and as shown in Fig 1 is for illustrative purposes only. The ENA
recognises in its guidance that a “best use of space” approach may be
adopted based on particular circumstances and equipment required to be
installed.
Nevertheless, the guidance also highlights that these minimum space
requirements do not allow for the inclusion of any other additional customer
equipment.
Individual Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) will issue their own
guidelines on the provision of space in meter enclosures as a condition in
their “Connection Offer” to customers. This guidance, although based on the
information given in EREC G87, may vary. Typically, the space is divided
into four, as shown in Fig 2. However, the guidance on additional customer
equipment does not differ from that of EREC G87, as can be seen in Fig 2.
Fig 2. Typical DNO recommendation for space allocation within a meter
box enclosure
This advice has increased significance because of the Smart Meter rollout
program, as some modern meters and associated equipment can take up
more space than the meters they replace. Additionally, it is becoming
increasingly common for domestic or similar premises to be provided with
three-phase intakes to facilitate future developments in the supply of
electricity, such as “prosuming” and the introduction of networks operated by
Distribution System Operators (DSO). This will inevitably result in more
demand for space for equipment at the intake position.
Installation of electrical equipment in the meter enclosure

Increasingly, contractors are installing equipment other than that directly

associated with the supply and metering arrangements in meter enclosures
at the service position. Evidence shows (see Fig 3) that installers of electric
vehicle charging equipment find external meter enclosures to be a
convenient location to install equipment such as joint boxes/connections in
the meter tails, isolating switches, and small consumer units.

Fig 3. Equipment associated with provision of electric vehicle charging

points installed within external meter enclosures
 In some cases, carrying out the work in this way may have been encouraged
by the property owner or occupant, as it avoids the need to install often
aesthetically unpleasing electrical enclosures on the exterior of the property.
Implications for the customer

If the DNO or MOP need to attend a domestic or similar premises and

encounter equipment other than that used for supply or metering purposes
within an approved meter enclosure, this may prevent work activities such
as:

 The replacement of lifetime-expired equipment;

 the installation of smart metering equipment;
 the installation of new cut-outs to provide enhanced supply capacity to
allow for:

 an extension to the property;

 the connection of embedded generation; or

 The provision of electric vehicle charging equipment or other equipment

which increases the maximum demand at the premises.

In such cases, where there is insufficient space within the meter enclosure,
the planned replacement or upgrading work cannot proceed until sufficient
space is made available therein.
The ENA have issued the following statement:
“While the meter cabinet is the customer’s, it is a space designed for the use
of electricity industry apparatus only and no allowance is made for additional
equipment. For safety reasons, we would not recommend that any internal
wiring, including a consumer unit is installed within the cabinet” - Energy
Networks Association
Furthermore, this is supported by guidance from the Department for
Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in Section 2.9 of its publication Smart
Meter Guidance for Domestic New Builds - Guidance for Developers and
Architects, and relevant to all those involved in the specification of metering
locations in new-build premises, which is reproduced below:
"External meter boxes/cupboards should only contain equipment required to
enable an electricity (or gas) supply to be provided to the premises safely, as
defined by relevant regulations.
• Items permitted to be installed within electricity meter boxes/cupboards
include: the local isolating device (e.g. main cut-out fuse), the electricity
meter and communications hub, and may include a single- or double pole-
isolation device (installed between the electricity meter and consumer unit)."

Therefore, where the guidance of the organisations discussed in this article

is ignored, preventing any future upgrade work, the customer will be
instructed by the DNO/MOP to employ a suitably competent person to
remove and relocate the inappropriate equipment – all at the customer’s
expense and potentially incurring reputational damage for the previous
installer.
Summary

A meter enclosure may be provided at the service position of a premises to

allow for the installation of the intake and metering equipment. The space
allocation for this enclosure allows for the replacement of lifetime-expired
equipment, installation of Smart Meter equipment and for some degree of
future supply capacity upgrade.
Only intake and metering equipment should be installed in the meter
enclosure, as there is no allowance of space for housing additional
equipment not associated with those functions.
If a DNO or MOP attends the premises to carry out work on their equipment
and insufficient space is available within the meter enclosure, work will not
be able to proceed. The customer will need to organise (at their expense) the
removal of unrelated equipment to create the space needed for the work to
be carried out.
NICEIC strongly recommends that electrical contractors do not install
any other equipment within meter enclosures.