diff --git a/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network.H b/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network.H
index cad3e38f37..9c01915759 100644
--- a/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network.H
+++ b/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network.H
@@ -26,6 +26,4 @@ namespace Rates
 
 }
 
-void balance_charge(burn_t& state);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network_data.cpp b/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network_data.cpp
index 5c4665a6c2..4d65a7996a 100644
--- a/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network_data.cpp
+++ b/networks/primordial_chem/actual_network_data.cpp
@@ -10,12 +10,3 @@ void actual_network_init()
 {
 
 }
-
-void balance_charge(burn_t& state)
-{
-
-    // update the number density of electrons due to charge conservation
-    state.xn[0] = -state.xn[3] - state.xn[7] + state.xn[1] + state.xn[12] +
-                  state.xn[6] + state.xn[4] + state.xn[9] + 2.0 * state.xn[11];
-
-}