SEC Newsletter 1 February 2021

Hello and welcome to this edition of the SEC Newsletter.

Read on to learn about the recent Other SEC Party Issues awareness engagement call, find out the new domain for CodeWorks and how to respond to the SEC Panel Draft Budget consultation. You can also find out about new Draft Proposals and SEC consultations, Modcasts, and more. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter.

 

Raising Awareness of Other SEC Party impacting issues

Thank you to all Other SEC Parties who joined the first Other SEC Party issues awareness call. SECAS launched the quarterly meeting following feedback from Other SEC Parties who attended the recent monthly pre-Panel engagement call. Issues that are currently impacting Other SEC Parties were discussed which has helped to increase transparency regarding progress and next steps. An invitation will be sent shortly for the next call which will take place on 28 April 2021.

If you have any feedback for how SECAS can further listen, learn and improve to meet your Party’s requirements, we would love to hear from you. Simply call a member of our team on 020 7090 7755, or email the SECAS Helpdesk. Alternatively, feel free to contact your Panel representative.

 

CodeWorks domain change and SECAS website browser compatibility

SECAS wishes to notify SEC Parties and CodeWorks users about two website updates that may impact you:

1. CodeWorks domain change – CodeWorks’ domain name has changed to https://codeworks.energy/. If you haven’t yet registered to use CodeWorks, please do so here.

2. SECAS website update and compatible browsers – On 11 February 2021, the SECAS website will be updated for the following browsers:

  • Google Chrome;
  • Microsoft Edge; and
  • Firefox.

Please note that using Internet Explorer will result in limited functionality due to Microsoft phasing its use out for its preferred browser, Microsoft Edge. Therefore, to experience the full functionality, please use an alternative browser from 11 February 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact the SECAS Helpdesk.

 

Participate in the SEC Panel Draft Budget 2021 – 2024 Consultation

The SEC Panel is seeking feedback from SEC Parties on the Draft Budget, which will be discussed and considered at its February meeting. All SEC Parties’ comments are welcome and will help shape the Panel’s final decision on the budget. You can find the consultation document on the SECAS website here.

 

Please send your response titled ‘SEC Panel Draft Budget 2021-2024 Consultation response’ to the SECAS Team by 5pm 2 February 2021. Please highlight in your response if you wish for feedback to be marked as confidential / anonymous.

 

View the latest CACoP Newsletter

You can download the January 2021 edition of the Code Administration Code of Practice (CACoP) Newsletter here. You can read about the latest news and developments across the Codes and updates on cross-Code changes and projects. Further information on the CACoP is available on our CACoP webpage.

 

Help shape the DCC’s Business and Development Plan

SEC Parties are invited to the Data Communications Company (DCC) Business and Development Plan workshops, which will take place over the coming months. These are intended for you to help shape the DCC’s activity over the next five years. This is a real opportunity to guide our future investments in the network and technology, from the comfort of your own desk. We are looking for innovators, technical, security and data subject matter experts. If you are interested in joining, please register your interest by emailing customerengagement@smartdcc.co.uk. For more information, please visit the DCC’s webpage here.

 

New Draft Proposal

There has been one new Draft Proposal raised since the last Newsletter:

DP149 ‘Effecting Changes to the Smart Energy Code efficiently’ – The Parties that can raise a Draft Proposal to instigate changes to the SEC is limited. These constraints negatively impact the efficient progression of changes by:

 

  • limiting the Parties who can raise changes to those who have sufficient resources;
  • impeding required changes being raised;
  • burdening certain Parties with devoting the time and effort that being a Proposer requires;
  • distorting the drivers of the Change process as only Parties with sufficient resources will raise changes;
  • requiring Proposers to make decisions where they are acting on behalf of others; and
  • adding inefficiencies into the process.

 

This Draft Proposal seeks to address these issues, and will be taken to the Change Sub-Committee on Tuesday 23 February 2021 for a decision whether it should be taken to the SEC Panel in March. If you have any comments on this proposal, please contact the Change Team.

 

Recently Published SEC Consultations

One Modification Proposal was sent for Refinement Consultation on 18 January 2021. SEC Parties can give input to the Proposed Solution before the Modification Proposal proceeds to Panel. Please click on the modification link below to download the consultation form. Once completed, please send your completed form to the Change Team. This consultation will close on Friday 5 February 2021.

 

 

SECMP0024 ‘Enduring Approach to Communication Hub Firmware Management’

 

 

 

 

 

The Proposer notes that there is nothing in place to automatically notify Suppliers once firmware updates have been activated on Communications Hubs (CHs). The Proposer also considers there to be a lack of a formalised process for managing firmware updates to CHs between the DCC and Suppliers.

Two Modification Proposals were sent for Modification Report Consultation on 18 January 2021. This is your chance to state whether you agree with the Modification Proposals and their Proposed Solutions before their votes at the Change Board. Please click on the modification links below to download the consultation forms. Once completed, please send your completed forms to the Change Team. These consultations will close on Friday 5 February 2021.

 

 

 

 

MP077 ‘DCC Service Flagging’

 

 

 

 

 

The industry needs a simple and reliable mechanism for identifying where smart Devices are, or are not, present at a location. This information is necessary for Suppliers to establish whether there is a Smart Metering system they can communicate with at that location. Issues have been identified in the current process where the DCC Service Flagging is incorrect and hinders the switching process for some consumers with Smart Meters.

 

 

 

 

DP146 ‘SM WAN Coverage Date’

 

 

The DCC is required to provide information to Parties via the Self Service Interface (SSI) regarding the Smart Metering Wide Area Network (SM WAN) availability for Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification (SMETS)1 and SMETS2 Devices.

Some Parties’ systems use a hardcoded date of 1 January 2021 within their business process, which may cause issue for them now the date is no longer relevant.

 

Modcasts

You are invited to listen to our Modcasts to hear about the latest updates on SEC Change. You can find our latest Modcast here, where we talk through the SEC Panel and Change Board outcomes this month, the recently issued consultations above and the items that went to the Change Sub-Committee. New Modcasts are released monthly on the Change Reporting webpage.

 

DCC’s modification performance update

You can now download the DCC’s update to the SEC Panel on its performance regarding modifications over the last 12 months here. It includes the time taken to return DCC Assessments and the costs of these changes. It also provides an update on the DCC’s review with the Orthello Partnership to support reducing these timescales and costs. If you have any questions please contact the Change Team.

 

Guidance for seamless Consumer Access Device (CAD) operation

Manufacturers and third party solutions providers are encouraged to read two BEIS guidance documents now hosted on the SECAS website, which explain all the Smart Metering-related technical details required to ensure the successful and seamless operation of a Consumer Access Device (CAD).

For information about the CAD in a SMETS2+ environment please refer to ‘Consumer Access Devices (CADs) & GB Smart Metering’ and for a SMETS1 environment please see ‘Guiding principles supporting third party CAD testing and pairing for SMETS1 meters’.

 

Open Industry Consultations Webpage

Please visit our Open Industry Consultations webpage for details of consultations that may be of interest to SEC Parties. If you are aware of a consultation that should be added, please contact the SECAS Helpdesk.

 

For other publications that may be of interest to you, please view the Operations Report in the January 2021 WHITE SEC Panel Meeting Documentation. SEC Parties can also view the Transitional Governance Update (TGU) Paper in the January 2021 GREEN SEC Panel Meeting Documentation.

 

SECAS Helpdesk

Please contact the SECAS Helpdesk with any questions and a member of the team will be happy to help. Helpdesk hours are Monday-Friday 9-5pm (excluding bank holidays).

 

Date                   Meeting, Event or Deadline  
2 February  Operations Group Meeting 42 
3 February  Monthly Working Group Meeting – February 2021 
4 February  Technical Architecture and Business Architecture Sub-Committee Meeting 62 
10 February  Security Sub-Committee Meeting 117 
12 February  SEC Panel Meeting 89 
16 February  Smart Metering Key Infrastructure Policy Management Authority Meeting 78 
22 February  Operations Group Meeting 43 
24 February  Testing Advisory Group Meeting 76 
24 February  Security Sub-Committee Meeting 118 
24 February  Change Board Meeting 51