Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the SEC newsletter.
Read this edition to find out how SEC Parties can join our two upcoming webinars, plus why it is important to keep your SEC Party details up to date with SECAS and the DCC. Read on to also learn about new Modification Proposals and those at the refinement stage which require your input to help shape the solution.
Are your SEC Party contact details up to date?
SEC Parties are reminded to ensure your SEC Party contact details are kept up to date with SECAS (in accordance with SEC Section M6.2) and the DCC. This is vital to ensure that your Party receives important updates, information, and invitations to industry meetings and events.
Please try to avoid providing your personal mobile numbers. This helps ensure continuity of service, for example, during absence or when leaving the Party. Plus, we won’t interrupt your long-awaited holiday!
To update your contact details:
- SECAS SEC Party contact details: Simply complete the SECAS online Party details form here. If you’re unsure which contact details SECAS holds, please contact the SECAS Helpdesk.
- DCC SEC Party contact details: If you are updating your contact details for SECAS using the online form, simply click the consent button for SECAS to inform the DCC of your changes. To ensure important information is reaching the correct people in your organisation, please review the distribution lists by logging into SharePoint here. For example, updating the finance list can help your Party avoid entering Event of Default by ensuring your DCC invoices reach the correct person. Click here for more information.
If you have any questions, please contact the SECAS Helpdesk.
Opportunity to join the SECAS Team
If you, or your colleagues, have a good understanding of the Great British (GB) Smart Metering arrangements and are considering the next step in your career, you may be interested in the following role:
- Technical Operations SEC Consultant – Do you have a solid understanding of the technical architecture underpinning GB Smart Metering? Are you proactive in identifying client requirements and have excellent planning and organisational skills? To find out more about this role, please click here.
SEC Parties are invited to join our upcoming webinars
SEC Parties are invited to join the following upcoming webinars:
- Enrolment and Adoption: What you need to know on 24 June 11.00 – 12.00. Are you making use of the Early Life Support to help you migrate your dormant meters? Would you like to learn more about the dormant migration process? Join this webinar to hear from the DCC and learn about the dormant SMETS1 meter migration process. What E&A questions would you like the DCC to answer? You are invited to send in your questions about Enrolment and Adoption to the SECAS Helpdesk by 14 June 2021. To register, click here.
- Annual SEC Panel Q&A on 16 July 2021 9.30 – 10.20. This is your opportunity to put your questions to the SEC Panel and Sub-Committee Independent Chairs. You will also hear from the SEC Panel Chair regarding key activities over the past year and plans for the year ahead. Please email your questions for the SEC Panel to the SECAS Helpdesk by 30 June 2021. To register, click here.
New Draft Proposals
There have been two new Draft Proposals raised since the last Newsletter. If you would like to provide feedback, please contact the Change Team.
DP163 ‘T3 Aerials Requirements Removal’
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The SEC states that if the DCC is unable to provide Smart Meter Wide Area Network (SM WAN) coverage to a Supplier Party, a T3 aerial is deployed. This will attempt to improve the coverage so that smart metering functionality is available. The Proposer believes that T3 aerials have a variety of problems, which include additional processing costs, time needed on site to install the unit, and there is no guarantee that the T3 aerials will solve the coverage issue.
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DP164 ‘November 2021 SEC Release supporting changes’
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The DCC detailed the system design associated with the SECMP0007 ‘Firmware updates to IHDs and PPMIDs’ changes starting in January 2021, after the approval of the modification and associated legal text. As part of this process, some additions and amendments are required to deliver the intent of the SECMP0007 solution.
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Current Refinement Consultations: Have your say
There are four Modification Proposals undergoing Refinement Consultations which were issued on 17 May 2021 and are due to close on 7 June 2021. As a SEC Party, you can help influence the Proposed Solution, help determine the business case for the change, and comment on how the proposal will affect your organisation.
To respond to any of these consultations, download the relevant consultation pack linked below and send your response to the Change Team.
MP134A ‘Use of SMKI Certificates relating to a SoLR event’
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The Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) process was developed by Ofgem to manage the exit of failed suppliers from the market where no trade sale or commercial agreement is possible. To date, SoLRs have involved suppliers exiting the market in an ‘orderly manner’, however there is concern that a supplier exiting the market in a ‘disorderly manner’ could expose their prepayment consumers to the risk of supply continuity. Please click here to access the consultation pack to respond.
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MP138 ‘DCC Service Testing in ETAD’
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The scope of the Enduring Testing Approach Document (ETAD) was initially designed to ensure that DCC Users had appropriate provisions to undergo the User Entry Process Testing (UEPT). However, the ETAD does not include every Testing Service that the DCC offers. The DCC has been working with Device Manufacturers to understand their testing needs and develop additional Testing Services. The Proposed Solution is to add four Testing Services to the ETAD. Please click here to access the consultation pack to respond.
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Due to issues arising from COVID-19, SEC Parties are looking to transfer excess Communications Hub (CH) stock. The DCC has proposed that the SEC Parties who want to transfer this stock should be able to send it to SEC Parties who are still taking CH orders, rather than sending it to the DCC to streamline the process. Please click here to access the consultation pack to respond.
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MP141 ‘SRV Visibility for Devices on SSI’
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Suppliers are currently unable to view Service Request Variants (SRVs) or Service Responses from other Service Users that they receive relating to Devices they are responsible for. This is due to an obligation in the SEC that states only an individual User can view the SRVs and Service Responses they send or receive. This leads to SRVs and Service Responses being received by Users without visibility or information of the triggering requests, causing issues that may be high priority or have security implications. Please click here to access the consultation pack to respond.
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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 May 2021 WHITE SEC Panel Meeting 92 Documentation. SEC Parties can also view the Transitional Governance Update (TGU) Paper in the May 2021 GREEN SEC Panel Meeting 92 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 |
1 June | Operations Group Meeting 50 |
2 June | Monthly Working Group Meeting – June 2021 |
3 June | Technical Architecture and Business Architecture Sub-Committee Meeting 66 |
9 June | Smart Metering Key Infrastructure Policy Management Authority Meeting 82 |
9 June | Security Sub-Committee Meeting 125 |
16 June | Other SEC Parties Engagement Call |
18 June | SEC Panel Meeting 93 |
23 June | Security Sub-Committee Meeting 126 |
23 June | Change Board Meeting 55 |
23 June | Small Suppliers Engagement Call |
24 June | SMETS1 Adoption and Enrolment Webinar |
28 June | Operations Group Meeting 51 |