SMETS1 TMAD direction

Today, 18 December 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a direction to re-designate SEC Appendix AL ‘SMETS1 Transition and Migration Approach Document’ (SMETS1 TMAD) with effect from 21 December 2020.

This is to extend the SMETS1 TMAD expiry date from 31 December 2020 to 31 December 2021. Note, these changes will come into effect from 21 December 2020.

The BEIS designation letter and accompanying annexes are available to download below:

• BEIS Designation Letter
• Annex A – SMETS1 TMAD v9.0
• Annex B – SMETS1 TMAD v9.0 mark-up against v8.0

Further SMETS1 TMAD consultation

Further to the above, BEIS has issued a consultation on proposed amendments to the SMETS1 TMAD to support the enrolment and operation of SMETS1 Devices in the Data Communications Company’s (DCC’s) network.

The proposed amendments set out a framework for the development of options supporting the migration of SMETS1 Installations comprising Device Model Combinations (DMCs) which the DCC advise as currently blocked. This includes installations which still need evidence to enable the DCC to recommend that the Secretary of State approves corresponding entries onto the Eligible Product Combination List (EPCL) and those which are already approved to the EPCL but have encountered blocking issues to migration.

The BEIS consultation letter can be found here.

Comments on this proposal should be submitted by 5pm on 21 January 2021 to: smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

Where can I find further information?

If you have any questions, you can call the SECAS Helpdesk at 020 7090 7755 or email sec.change@gemserv.com.

Today the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation on proposals to modify the Baseline Margin Project Performance Adjustment (BMPPA) Scheme for Release 2.0. The scheme includes incentives that relate to the DCC’s delivery of Dual Band Communications Hubs.

The consultation letter and accompanying annexes can be found here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Please send your responses or any enquiries to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 5pm on Tuesday 18 August 2020.

DCC consultation on revised LC13 plan

In parallel, the Data Communications Company (DCC) is consulting on a revised LC13 plan for Release 2.0 which can (as of the date of publication) be found here. Please note that the DCC consultation has a two-week period, and responses are due by 4pm on Thursday 30 July.

Please send your responses or any enquiries to consultations@smartdcc.co.uk.

Today the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation on proposals for a Baseline Margin Project Performance Adjustment (BMPPA) Scheme to be made under Schedule 1 of Condition 38 of the Smart Meter Communication Licence. The scheme relates to the DCC’s delivery of the Enduring Change of Supplier Arrangements which will replace the existing Transitional Change of Supplier arrangements that are used to secure the processing of Service Requests to transfer control of smart metering devices to the incoming supplier on a CoS event.

The consultation letter and accompanying annexes can be found here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Please send your responses or any enquiries to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 5pm on Friday 14 August 2020.

An updated version of the SEC came into effect on 1 July 2020 to implement a designation by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

BEIS have designated the SEC Variation Testing Approach Document (SVTAD) to incorporate BEIS Changes included in the November 2020 SEC Release. The document has been designated ‘Appendix AN’. This includes a consequential change to Section A ‘Definitions and Interpretation’.

The SVTAD for the November 2020 SEC Release sets out the framework for the testing of BEIS-directed changes. It also sets out the requirements that apply to the development of the November 2020 Data Communications Company (DCC) Testing Approach Document (TAD), which presents that testing in more detail.

The BEIS designation letter and SVTAD can be found here.

What parts of the SEC were affected?

• Section A ‘Definitions and Interpretation’
• SEC Appendix AN ‘SEC Variation Testing Approach Document’ for BEIS Changes included in the November 2020 SEC Release’

Where can I access the redlining?

The redlined changes to Section A can be found on CodeWorks via the links below:

• Getting access to CodeWorks
• Already registered? Log in here at codeworks.energy

Our Document Log lists the versions of each SEC document now in effect following this release.

You can download the individual SEC documents from the SEC and Supporting Documents section of our website or via CodeWorks.

Where can I find further information?

If you have any questions, you can call the SECAS Helpdesk at 020 7090 7755 or email sec.change@gemserv.com.

Today, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation response to the 26 March consultation on the proposals that set out the extent to which Enduring Change of Supplier (ECoS) Systems should be separated from other Data Communications Company (DCC) Systems. The ECoS arrangements are changes to the process that the DCC follows when a consumer changes energy Supplier and the new Supplier seeks to take over control of the Smart Meter and other Devices in the consumer premises. They will replace the existing “Transitional Change of Supplier” arrangements that were originally implemented and which were intended to be temporary.

The government response letter can be found here.

Where can I find further information?

If you have any questions, please contact smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

On 6 April 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a consultation on whether the Data Communications Company (DCC) should be required to provide an enrolment service for first generation (SMETS1) EDMI smart meters, as well as a number of matters that require amendments to the standard conditions of gas and electricity supply licences, the DCC licence and the Smart Energy Code (SEC), the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) and the Uniform Network Code (UNC).

The consultation letter and accompanying annexes can be found here.

Why is BEIS consulting?

This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on whether the DCC should be required to provide an enrolment service for first generation (SMETS1) EDMI smart meters.

It also proposes regulatory amendments on five separate topics related to the implementation of the Smart Metering Implementation Programme. These changes relate to the electricity and gas supply licences, the DCC licence, the SEC, the BSC and the UNC. The five areas of regulatory change proposed are to:

• amend SEC security obligations on the DCC in relation to Telefonica as a SMETS1 Communications Service Provider (CSP).
• change the electricity and gas supply licences, DCC licence and the SEC to support standalone auxiliary proportional controllers (SAPCs) (and associated changes relating to sub-meters) within the smart metering arrangements.
• change the SEC, the BSC, and the UNC (and the Independent Gas Transporters Uniform Network Code (IGT UNC)) to support the inclusion of registration data identifiers with XML signing certificates.
• change the way that Explicit Charges for Alternative Home Area Network (Alt HAN) Equipment are set out in the SEC to ensure that the charging arrangements are consistent with stated BEIS policy.
• make a minor correction to SEC Section L3.18(b).

Subject to consideration of consultation responses and completion of the appropriate parliamentary process, the changes to licence and code provisions will be introduced using the Secretary of State’s Section 88 Energy Act 2008 powers.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Please send your responses or any enquiries to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 5pm on Monday 11 May 2020

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) today published conclusions to:

• Proposals for changes to the Data Communications Company (DCC) Charging Methodology to modify the way that the DCC will charge for its services from April 2021, as set out in the 16 September 2019 consultation on the Smart Metering Policy Framework post 2020.
• The 14 January 2020 consultation on a number of matters that require amendments to the standard conditions of gas and electricity supply licences, the DCC licence and the Smart Energy Code (SEC), the Uniform Network Code (UNC) and the Master Registration Agreement (MRA).

Following consideration of stakeholder responses, BEIS has now published its conclusions and has laid the instrument making the regulatory changes to the main body of the SEC, the energy supply and DCC licence conditions, the UNC and MRA before Parliament, in line with the procedure under Section 89 of the Energy Act 2008.

• The government response letter and associated documents can be found here.
• An explanatory memorandum and instrument laid before Parliament can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

Today, the Department for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation on proposals that set out the extent to which Enduring Change of Supplier (ECoS) Systems should be separated from other Data Communications Company (DCC) Systems. The ECoS arrangements are changes to the process that the DCC follows when a consumer changes energy supplier and the new supplier seeks to take over control of the Smart Meter and other Devices in the consumer premises. They will replace the existing “Transitional Change of Supplier” arrangements that were originally implemented and which were intended to be temporary.

At this stage, BEIS is consulting only on the proposed policy approach to separation in order to advise the DCC’s procurement process. A consultation on the actual SEC changes to support ECoS will take place later, once more detail of the ECoS design is finalised.

The consultation document can be found here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Please send your responses or any enquiries to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 5pm on Thursday 7 May 2020.

On the 18 February the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a consultation on dates to incorporate a new version of Appendix AL ‘SMETS1 Transition and Migration Approach Document’ (TMAD) into the Smart Energy Code (SEC). This is to support the enrolment of first generation smart meter devices in the national smart meter communications network managed by the Data Communications Company (DCC).

Comments on this proposal should be submitted by 17.00 Friday 6 March 2020 to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

• The consultation documents can be found here.

On 28 October 2019, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation on the Great Britain Companion Specification (GBCS) and the Communications Hub Technical Specifications (CHTS) changes associated with the implementation of proportional load control.

Consultation response

The BEIS response, published today (3 February 2020), states that BEIS has baselined the technical documents associated with the proposed changes and to formally request the Data Communications Company (DCC) to initiate making the required changes to its systems for implementation in the November 2020 SEC Release.

• The consultation response letter and associated annexes which are embedded within the letter, can be found here.
• The clean versions of newly baselined technical documents can be found on our Developing SEC page here.

If you have any questions, please contact smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.