MP185 'Additional controls to support the SoLR process'

MP134A was implemented to provide protection for consumers in the event of a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) situation. The Solution is to allow the SMKI Policy Management Authority (PMA) to delay the revocation of the SMKI Certificates. This would allow a Shared Resource Provider (SRP), on instruction from Ofgem to put prepayment customers into a ‘safe mode’ where they would not lose supply if they ran out of credit.

The multiple SoLR events recently have demonstrated that the intent of MP134A is not able to be fully met by the current solution. It has been identified following a failing Supplier’s Licence being revoked, at the point a SoLR is appointed, the DCC currently transfer the Market Participant Identifiers (MPIDs) of the failed Supplier to the SoLR. At this point the SoLR would not have completed the Change of Supplier process and therefore would not be able to communicate with the meters. The transfer of the MPIDs results in any Service Requests sent by the SRP on behalf of the failed Supplier being rejected regardless of SMKI Certificate status.

The Proposed Solution is to allow the SMKI PMA the authority to delay, where appropriate, the transfer of the MPIDs. The transfer of the MPIDs to the SoLR would need to be agreed with the SMKI PMA and DCC by the SoLR once they have an agreed set of information.