The streamlining has been achieved by simplifying the documentation process for new customers. Previously, the three documents required to establish a power connection – a contract for connecting to power networks, a contract defining power purchase and sale, and an act on the boundaries of the property – required three separate visits by the power company. Now, all three documents can be issued in one visit, cutting the time it takes for power to be installed.
'To simplify the installation of power to new clients, we have incorporated all our procedures. Now, following the submission of the technical plans for connecting electrical devices, a client gets all the most important documents in one visit. This can be done via our website or at the client service centre. This has enabled us to shorten the connection time to our networks by two days on average,' explained Aidas Ignatavičius, general manager of LESTO.
Mr Ignatavičius expects the changes to improve conditions for businesses with respect to their power connection, which will be faster and more convenient. He also anticipates an improvement in the company's ranking in global indexes such as the World Bank's Doing Business report.
According to Mantas Katinas, general manager of Invest Lithuania, the foreign investment development agency, this move will be particularly encouraging for investors in the manufacturing and data centre sectors. 'Connection speed to power networks is a very important consideration for businesses that have significant energy requirements, such as manufacturing companies and data centres. Lithuania has a number of advantages to offer these businesses, and now that the speed of connection to power networks is sufficiently competitive they can take full advantage of them. So, these changes LESTO have implemented are extremely important for Lithuania's competitiveness.'
These latest reforms by LESTO come on the back of substantial efforts in 2014 to reduce connection time. Installation time was reduced by 20 calendar days for private users and by 1 day for business clients, with more than 264,000 new consumers benefitting from this faster service in 2014.
Currently, the average time required for a private client to connect to the power grid is 49 days, and if new connection plans are not required, the figure stands at just 23 days. For business clients, the average connection time is 52 days. At every stage of the connection process, clients are provided with information on the technical terms and conditions, any contracts required, and the commencement and end dates for the work.
