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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 848
ELECTRICITY
CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations
1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity
Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 16th July 2026
Laid before Parliament 17th July 2026
Coming into force - - 27th August 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 29
of the Electricity Act 1989(1) and section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987(2).
In accordance with section 11(5) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the Secretary of State
has consulted such organisations as appear to the Secretary of State to be representative of interests
substantially affected by these Regulations and such other persons as the Secretary of State considers
appropriate.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 27th August 2026.
(3) Regulations 1 and 2 extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
(4) Regulation 3 extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
Amendment of the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
2.—(1) Regulation 8 of the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994(3) is amended as
follows.
(2) After paragraph (3) insert—
(1) 1989 c. 29; section 29 was amended by the Utilities Act 2000 (c. 27), Schedule 6, paragraphs 24 and 30.
(2) 1987 c. 43; section 11 was amended by S.I. 2005/1803, regulation 46(1) and (3). There are other amending instruments but
none are relevant.
(3) S.I. 1994/1768, amended by S.I. 2016/1101.Document Generated: 2026-07-17
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
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“(3A) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), a type of standard plug
intended to be fitted to or supplied for use with a plug-in microgenerator may be approved
by a notified body if when determining an application for approval, the notified body is
satisfied that—
(a) plugs of that type do not conform to BS 1363 because BS 1363 contains a
provision which prohibits or restricts the use of the plug for the connection of an
electricity-generating device to a socket-outlet;
(b) except in respect of that prohibition or restriction, plugs of that type conform to
BS 1363;
(c) plugs of that type comply with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product
Specification; and
(d) by means of inspection or testing of samples of plugs of that type, the
manufacturer of the plug may reasonably be expected to ensure that normal
production and design of the plug will result in plugs of that type corresponding
with the samples.”.
(3) After paragraph (7), insert—
“(8) In this regulation—
“consumer’s installation”, “distributor”, “low voltage” and “network” have the same
meaning as in the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002(4);
“plug-in microgenerator” means a source of energy which—
(a) generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity;
(b) has a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800 watts;
(c) is intended for connection to a low voltage consumer’s installation by means of
a standard plug and socket;
(d) is designed to operate in parallel with a distributor’s network; and
(e) is not designed to import electrical energy from a low voltage consumer’s
installation for the purpose of storing energy for later supply, other than for
control or auxiliary functions permitted by the Plug-in Solar Device Interim
Product Specification;
“Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification” means the Plug-in Solar Device
Interim Product Specification, version 2, published by the Secretary of State on 16
July 2026;”.
Amendment of the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002
3.—(1) The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 1(5), at the appropriate place insert—
““plug-in microgenerator” means a source of energy which—
(a) generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity;
(b) has a maximum rated alternating current output not exceeding 800 watts;
(c) is intended for connection to a low voltage consumer’s installation by means of a standard
plug and socket;
(d) is designed to operate in parallel with a distributor’s network; and
(4) S.I. 2002/2665, amended by S.I. 2006/1521, S.I. 2009/6 and S.I. 2019/530.
2Document Generated: 2026-07-17
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
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(e) is not designed to import electrical energy from a low voltage consumer’s installation for
the purpose of storing energy for later supply, other than for control or auxiliary functions
permitted by the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification;
“Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification” means the Plug-in Solar Device Interim
Product Specification, version 2, published by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2026;”.
(3) In regulation 22(1), for sub-paragraph (c) substitute—
“(c) where the source of energy—
(i)is part of a low voltage consumer’s installation, complies with British Standard
Requirements; or
(ii)is a plug-in microgenerator, complies with the Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product
Specification; and”.
Martin McCluskey
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
16th July 2026 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
3Document Generated: 2026-07-17
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1768) and
the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2665).
Regulation 2 amends the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994. It amends regulation 8
to provide for the approval of standard plugs intended to be fitted to or supplied for use with plug-
in microgenerators.
Regulation 3 amends the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002. 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.
A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the
voluntary sector and the public sector is available from the Department for Energy Security and Net
Zero, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW and is published with an Explanatory Memorandum
alongside these Regulations on www.legislation.gov.uk.
The Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification is published on www.gov.uk/government/
consultations/plug-in-solar and a hard copy may be obtained free of charge by writing to the
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW.
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