NEC3 ECC: Can Contractor request partial handover if a CE has delayed Completion Date until after holiday period?

Can a Contractor request partial handover of a scheme due to a CE pushing completion date to after Christmas holiday period. The completion date was officially 28th Dec. I had stated in a pre-start meeting that we would complete on 23rd Dec due to holidays. I have raised an early warning that the electricity provider cannot connect the site before Christmas holidays which is not our responsibility as Client has organised this. This has led to a CE and a time delay. My issue is that we are working on a high risk site in terms of vandalism/ theft etc. Due to the CE can I request partial handover to protect the contractor. The client has stated the they will not accept responsibility of site until all works are complete but the CE is putting Hugh risk on the contractor.

Any info would be appreciated.

No you can not insist a partial handover. However, any additional cost and risk that this compensation event will incur can be priced for within that quotation including any additional security. I would recommend raising an early warning about this potential issue, and at a resultant risk reduction meeting agree the actions to be taken which will probably culminate in a Project Manager instruction. Another tool that could be used is Project Manager assumptions within the quotation - i.e. get the PM to confirm the assumptions the Contractor should assume (particularly in this case for damage/theft) and any resultant risk that the PM is willing to take. Any changes to these assumptions would be a new compensation event.