Independent Connection Provider (ICP) and Siteworks Specialist Partnerships
As an Independent Connection Provider, you operate at the heart of the UK’s utility infrastructure development. From coordinating multi-phase housing developments to managing complex commercial connections, the demands placed on ICP businesses are significant — and growing. With increasingly competitive margins, complex client requirements, and rising demand for sustainable development solutions, having a reliable strategic partner for energy procurement, utility coordination, and siteworks management has never been more important.
What Is an Independent Connection Provider?
An Independent Connection Provider is a company accredited under the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) to design, build, and maintain electrical infrastructure on behalf of clients, working alongside Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs). ICPs carry out contestable works — the elements of a connection project that do not need to be completed exclusively by the local DNO — including cable laying, substation installation, civil works, and connection to the distribution system. Non-contestable works, which interface directly with the DNO’s existing network, remain the responsibility of the DNO itself.
NERS accreditation, administered by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) on behalf of the UK’s DNOs, ensures that all ICPs meet rigorous standards of technical competency and safety. The introduction of competition in the connections market by Ofgem has allowed ICPs to offer developers, housebuilders, and commercial clients a faster, more cost-effective alternative to going directly through the DNO — and the market has grown accordingly.
The Operational Challenges Facing ICPs
Managing ICP projects involves coordinating a wide range of stakeholders simultaneously: clients, landowners, legal teams, DNOs, IDNOs, site operators, local authorities, and end users. Lead time coordination is critical, particularly for core components such as ring main units, transformers, package substations, and cabling, where demand can extend delivery periods considerably.
Beyond the technical challenges, ICPs must also manage energy supply across their project portfolios — including temporary builders’ supplies, permanent connections, and their own operational requirements. Handling relationships with multiple DNOs, energy suppliers, gas transporters, and other parties across concurrent projects can place significant strain on resources, particularly for businesses focused on technical delivery.
Energy Procurement Built for ICP Projects
Cibus Energy, a trusted UK energy management consultant based in Lancashire, has developed a specialist service designed specifically to support Independent Connection Providers. Founded in April 2021 by Dan Voiels, who brings over 14 years of experience in the energy industry, Cibus Energy has built strong relationships with a wide range of UK suppliers, enabling them to secure competitive energy rates for ICPs and their clients.
Our procurement service covers temporary builders’ supplies, permanent connections, and operational energy requirements, comparing prices across multiple contract lengths and suppliers to guarantee competitive rates. For ICPs managing single developments or multiple concurrent projects nationwide, Cibus Energy handles the entire procurement process from start to finish, removing the administrative burden and allowing technical teams to focus on delivery.
Available procurement solutions include competitive fixed-rate contracts for temporary and permanent supplies, flexible terms aligned with phased development schedules and handover dates, volume agreements reflecting project portfolios and anticipated growth, green energy options supporting clients’ sustainability commitments and planning conditions, and pre-negotiated rates for rapid deployment on urgent connection projects.
Bill and Supplier Management Tailored to ICP Operations
ICPs face unique billing challenges: temporary supplies that require precise tracking, phased completions requiring careful meter management, and the critical importance of accurate records for client handovers. Cibus Energy offers a comprehensive bill and supplier management package designed around these industry-specific needs.
Services include monthly bill validation and error checking across all temporary and permanent supplies, consumption monitoring and billing coordination for phased developments with staged completions, seamless transfer coordination from temporary to permanent supplies and client account setup, complete supplier communications and technical dispute resolution, detailed cost tracking and reconciliation for client billing and project accounting, and comprehensive record-keeping for regulatory compliance and client reporting.
One Senior M&E Manager at a national property and construction company has noted that Cibus Energy has supported multiple projects, from temporary building supplies through to large residential schemes, consistently ensuring the most suitable tariff and providing a service of the highest standard.
Siteworks Expertise and Utility Coordination
Cibus Energy’s siteworks expertise complements the technical capabilities of ICP businesses, ensuring that energy supply aspects are delivered seamlessly alongside infrastructure works. Their comprehensive utility management services include coordination with DNOs, gas transporters, and local authorities to streamline approvals and ensure regulatory compliance, with experienced project managers overseeing every stage from initial feasibility assessments through to final commissioning.
For ICPs, this translates into practical support across several key areas: complete supplier liaison for all energy requirements across a project portfolio, simultaneous coordination of energy supply across diverse locations and development types, strategic energy procurement based on anticipated load profiles and connection capacities, energy supply scheduling aligned with connection programmes and client handover dates, and complete handling of energy contracts, billing, and supplier communications to free up technical resources.
The ability to offer clients a more complete service — covering both the technical connection work and the associated energy supply management — enhances an ICP’s value proposition and allows them to differentiate in a competitive market.
Green Energy Solutions for ICP Projects
Sustainability is no longer optional in property development. From local authority planning requirements to housebuilder net-zero commitments, renewable energy has become a fundamental requirement for modern developments. Cibus Energy provides green energy procurement services that help ICPs and their clients meet these obligations, including 100% renewable electricity backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs), green energy options for both temporary supplies and permanent connections, renewable energy integration into project proposals and client offerings, carbon reporting and sustainability documentation for planning submissions, and consultation on on-site generation and smart energy solutions.
Procuring green energy also provides commercial benefits: developments with strong renewable credentials can command premium prices and attract more buyers, while ICPs that offer comprehensive sustainable energy solutions are better placed to secure contracts with major housebuilders and developers who have made firm net-zero commitments.
A Complementary Partnership, Not Competition
What distinguishes the Cibus Energy model is that it is designed to complement, rather than compete with, ICP operations. The ICP focuses on what it does best — the technical design, construction, and commissioning of electrical infrastructure — while Cibus Energy manages the energy procurement, supplier relationships, billing, and administrative coordination that surround those projects.
This partnership approach means no conflicts of interest, no complicated arrangements, and no hidden fees. It is a transparent, collaborative relationship built around the objective of supporting ICP businesses to operate more efficiently, serve their clients more comprehensively, and grow with confidence.
For ICPs looking to streamline energy procurement, reduce administrative burden, enhance their service offering, or position their business for the demands of sustainable development, partnering with a specialist such as Cibus Energy provides a practical and effective solution.
To find out more, call 07817 962252.