Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the SECAS newsletter.
Read on to find out how you can benefit from the new features available on our website, and how to submit your questions for the Panel for the annual SEC Engagement Day webinar. With four new Modification Proposals, a Customer Satisfaction Survey update plus numerous consultations to read about, we hope that you enjoy this week’s newsletter.
Join our Annual SEC Engagement Day Webinar
Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the SEC Panel? SEC Parties have the opportunity to do exactly that by joining our main engagement event of the year, the online Annual SEC Engagement webinar on 17 July 2020.
This is a valuable opportunity to ask your questions to the SEC Panel, hear about key milestones from the previous year and for the year ahead.
Please contact the SECAS Helpdesk with your questions for the SEC Panel by close 30 June 2020.
Customer Satisfaction Survey results
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey. Your feedback is always very helpful to help shape our support and services moving forward.
Customer experience matters to us, and every year we ask our customers how we’re doing so we can learn from this. Due to our focus on continuous improvement, most of our supporting areas saw improved scores compared to last year.
Our Document content and quality, Helpdesk handling, meeting organisation and staff helpfulness to name a few, all improved. To find out more please click here. We will keep you updated as we roll out further improvements.
New Website Features Launched
As part of our continuous efforts to listen, learn and improve, we have updated our website to introduce new features. You can now:
- Find answers to your frequent asked questions in our new FAQ section
- Search the Glossary, which now includes over 900 terms and definitions
- Keep your Party details up to date using our online Change in Party details form
- Access the Members Area for SEC Parties
- View time-critical highlights on the homepage moving banner, which currently invites your questions for the SEC Panel for the Annual SEC Engagement webinar, and
- View clearer and more concise content, written in Plain English.
If you haven’t yet registered to become a member of the website, please do so here.
We welcome your feedback on the website and what other improvements you would like to see. Please share your comments on our new simple feedback form here.
The Security Architecture Document has been updated
SEC Parties can now request to view version 5.0 of the Security Architecture, which was approved at the Security Sub-Committee meeting on the 27 May 2020.
The document describes how the security controls, in respect of Smart Metering, relate to the architecture of the End-to-End Smart Metering System. It is classified as Amber and will be provided to SEC Parties on a ‘Need to Know’ basis. Please contact the Security Team to request the document.
Are you a Large Supplier and would like to join the TABASC?
As a Technical Architecture and Business Architecture Sub-Committee (TABASC) Member, you will keep informed of industry developments and influence key decisions. Meeting monthly, the TABASC provides advice and guidance to the SEC Panel regarding Technical Code Specifications, End-to-End Technical Architecture, and Business Architecture.
The Large Supplier seat is available following the retirement one of its Members and will run until November 2021. If you would like to nominate yourself or an individual, please complete the Nomination form and return to the SECAS Helpdesk by 12 June 2020.
New Draft Proposals
The following Draft Proposals are new problems or issues recently raised that the Proposers believe need to be addressed:
Draft Proposal
|
Issue Highlighted by the Proposer
|
DP131 ‘Default maximum demand configuration conflict’ | A conflict has been identified between the Energy Network Association’s required default configuration for Devices and those recorded in the GB Companion Specification.
|
DP132 ‘DLMS references in GBCS’ | The Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) has issued a new version of the DLMS Green and Blue Books. These are referenced in the SEC and the GB Companion Specification (GBCS) and must be updated.
|
DP133 ‘Consequential changes to SEC Section G’ | A discrepancy has been identified in SEC Section G, where Suppliers and Supplier Agents have been erroneously excluded from the ‘Shared Resources’ obligations.
|
DP134 ‘Use of SMKI Certificates relating to a SoLR event’ | Following a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) situation, the new Supplier needs to send Critical Commands. This cannot happen until the relevant Certificates have been changed, which can take between two to four weeks to happen.
|
Modification Consultations
There are four SEC Modifications currently out for Modification Report Consultation. You are invited to respond to the Change Team by 8 June 2020. This is your final chance to share your feedback before the Change Board vote.
- SECMP0015 ‘GPF timestamp for reading instantaneous Gas values’ – Proposes to allow Parties and Devices know the time on a gas meter’s clock when the last instantaneous value was provided to the Gas Proxy Function.
- MP098 ‘Incorporation of multiple Issue Resolution Proposals into the SEC – Batch 3’ proposes to implement a batch of Issue Resolution Proposals into the SEC. These proposals do not affect DCC Systems.
- MP101 ‘Large Gas Meter Displays’ – Proposes that Large Gas Meters are exempt from the requirements for displaying consumption information referred to in the Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications.
- MP110 ‘Aligning SEC Appendix D with DCC Processes’ – Proposes to update SEC Appendix D following a review carried out by the DCC and the Smart Metering Key Infrastructure Policy Management Authority.
Two Covid-19-related modifications implemented
Two SEC modifications have now been implemented in response to the current Covid-19 pandemic:
- MP130 ‘CH order and delivery changes due to Covid-19’ was implemented on 27 May 2020. It has put in place a temporary Communications Hub ordering and delivery process which will be in effect up until the end of 2021.
- MP123 ‘IVP realignment of SMETS2 v2.0 and v3.1’ was implemented on 29 May 2020. It has extended the Installation Validity Period (IVP) end-date for SMETS2 v2.0 and v3.1 Devices by six months from 27 October 2020 until 27 April 2021.
Open Industry Consultations Webpage
You can now view open industry consultations that may be of interest to SEC Parties on our Open Industry Consultations webpage.
If you are aware of a consultation that should be added, please email the details to SECAS@gemserv.com.
DCC Publications
The DCC has published the following:
- November 2020 SEC Variation Testing Approach – Consults on the proposed November 2020 SEC Variation Testing Approach Document and its proposed designation date of 30 June 2020. This consultation closes on 10 June 2020.
- SMETS1 Consultation on changes to the Incident Management Policy – Changes have been proposed to the Incident Management Policy (IMP) regarding Telefonica UK Limited’s role as a SMETS1 Communications Service Provider. This consultation closes on 12 June 2020.
BEIS Publications
BEIS has published the following:
- Reforming Regulation Initiative – BEIS invites businesses to complete a survey to identify areas of UK regulation for improvement to ensure regulation is proportionate. This consultation closes on 11 June 2020.
Ofgem Publications
Ofgem has published the following:
- Consultation on the DCC Operational Performance Regime (and associated Licence Modification) – Proposes a revised Operational Performance Review (OPR) framework. This consultation closes on 12 June 2020.
- Reviewing Smart Metering costs in the default tariff cap: May 2020 statutory consultation – Sets out how Ofgem proposes to update the non-pass-through Smart Metering Net Cost Change allowance (“SMNCC”) in the default tariff cap. This consultation closes on 26 June 2020.
- Statutory consultation for protecting energy consumers with prepayment meters – sets out how Ofgem proposes to protect Prepayment Meter (PPM) customers on default tariffs. This consultation closes on 26 June 2020.
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 |
4 June | Technical Architecture and Business Architecture Sub-Committee Meeting 54 |
10 June | Testing Advisory Group Meeting 67X |
12 June | Operations Group Meeting 33x |
16 June | Smart Metering Key Infrastructure Policy Management Authority Meeting 70 |
18 June | Technical Architecture and Business Architecture Sub-Committee Meeting 54X |
19 June | SEC Panel Meeting 81 |
22 June | Operations Group Meeting 33xx |
24 June | Change Board Meeting 43 |
24 June | Security Sub-Committee Meeting 103 |
24 June | Testing Advisory Group Meeting 68 |
30 June | Change Sub-Committee 16 |