**Exhibit 4.9**

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| 31st January 2006   | **Department of   Trade and Industry**V 299 1 Victoria Street London SWlH 0ET Enquiries 020 7215 5000 |
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|                |                                                                                                       |
| *URL  *   | http://www.dti.gov.uk/                                                                                     |
| *Telex  * | 8813148 DIHQ G**                                                                                           |

 

**MODIFICATIONS TO STANDARD CONDITIONS OF ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTIONLICENCES**

**Recitals**

Whereas: 

| (1)   | the Secretary of State considers       that it is appropriate for the purpose set out in sub-section (l)(b) of       section 177 of the Energy Act 2004 (“the Energy Act”) to make       modifications to the standard conditions of distribution licences granted,       or treated       as granted, under section 6(l)(c) of theElectricity Act 1989 (“the Licences”), falling within sub-section(2) of thatsection 177; and |
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| (2)   | the Secretary of State has consulted,       as required by section 177(4) of the Energy Act, on the modifications       which he proposes to make in exercise of his powers under section 177(1)       of       the Energy Act.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |

**Modification**

 In exercise of the power conferred upon him by    section 177(1) of the Energy Act, the Secretary of State hereby modifies    standard licence condition 3 of the Licences in the manner specified in annex    1 to this direction and such modifications shall have effect on and from    the date hereof. 

The Secretary of State shall publish the modifications made pursuant to this    direction on the website of the Department of Trade and Industry as soon    as reasonably practicable. 

**Angela Piearce**Head of Electricity markets team For and on behalf of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 

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**ANNEX 1**

      **MODIFICATIONS      TO STANDARD LICENCE CONDITION 3 OF ELECTRICITY  DISTRIBUTION LICENSES TO      HAVE EFFECT ON AND FROM THE DATE OF THIS****DIRECTION**

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**Condition 3**-**Payments    by Licensee to the Authority******

| 1.   | Paragraph 2 is amended as follows: |
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|           |                               |   |
|           | (a)                      | in sub-paragraph (c), for “the       licence or any other electricity distribution licence” substitute “this    licence or any other licence granted under the Act or the Gas Act    1986; ”; and |
|           |                               |   |
|           | (b)                                | in sub-paragraph (d), for “that      reference” substitute “references of the type referred to in sub-paragraph    2(c)”. |

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| 2.   | Paragraph 3****is         amended by inserting “relevant” after “in each” in both sub-paragraph    (a) and sub-paragraph (b). |
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| 3.             | Paragraph 4 is amended as follows:                                                                                                                    |

|   |
|--------|
|   | (a)  | for “Where” substitute “If”; |
|   |   |   |
|   | (b)   | for “due date set out in” substitute “payment    date determined in accordance with”; |
|   |   |   |
|   | (c)   | insert “with effect from that    payment date” after “shall”; and |
|   |   |   |
|   | (d)   | for “on the amount” substitute “on that amount”. |

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| 4.  |  In Paragraph 5, the    definition of “estimated costs” is amended as follows: |
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|     |                                                                                            | (a)   | after the first “to be” insert “or have been”; |
|     |                                                                                            |            |   |
|     |                                                                                            | (b)   | in sub-paragraph (a)(ii), for “consumer” substitute “Consumer”;    and |
|     |                                                                                            |            |   |
|     |                                                                                            | (c)   | in sub-paragraph (b), after “Competition       Commission” insert “in connection with references to it in       respect of this licence or any other licence granted  under the Act or       the Gas Act 1986, such estimate having regard to any views of the Competition       Commission”. |

**Department of Tradeand Industry**

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