On 11 September 2019, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation seeking stakeholder views on proposed changes to the Smart Energy Code (SEC) and the Data Communications Company (DCC) Licence. The intent of these changes is largely to facilitate the continued enrolment of Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications 1 (SMETS1) smart meters into the DCC network. There are also some other miscellaneous smart metering-related changes.

Following consideration of stakeholder responses, BEIS has now published its conclusions and has laid the regulatory changes to the main body of the SEC and the energy supply licence conditions 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 SEC legal text can be found here.

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

On 14 January 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a 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).

• The consultation letter and accompanying annexes can be found here.

Why are BEIS consulting?

This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on a number of proposals that require amendments to the standard conditions of gas and electricity supply licences, the DCC licence and the SEC, the UNC and the MRA.

More specifically, the changes proposed by this consultation are:

• changes to the Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification 1 (SMETS1) enrolment obligations in energy suppliers’ licence conditions;
• changes to split the SMETS into individual device specifications so that version numbering and validity dates can be applied to each Device type;
• associated changes to provide for an “incompatibility matrix” rather than the existing “compatibility matrix”;
• changes to the definition of Completion of Implementation in the DCC licence to align with proposed changes to the SEC;
• changes to SEC Section G ‘Security’ to clarify the circumstances in which DCC must use Cryptographic Modules and when it must set Anomaly Detection Thresholds;
• changes to the UNC and MRA to provide for DCC to receive additional information on the number of Advanced Meters each supplier has installed in support of proposed changes to the DCC charging methodology;
• changes to introduce a new type of SMKI Organisation Certificate, that of “XML signing”;
• changes to ensure that the submission of an Exempt Premises List for Alt HAN is optional for energy suppliers and that the provision of Alt HAN Services can commence prior to one being in place;
• changes to introduce a temporary period of time during which the DCC may be required to submit a business case to the Secretary of State for approval prior to procuring any new or amended Relevant Service Capability, and to clarify that spare Relevant Service Capability should not be procured for the purposes of the Permitted Business; and
• a number of minor corrections to the SEC.

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.

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme – Regulation
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
2nd floor,
1 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1H 0ET

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 10am on 18 February 2020.

Today, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have issued a consultation on re-designating new versions of the SEC Subsidiary Documents (SSDs). These SSDs support the enrolment and operation of SMETS1 devices in the Data Communications Company’s (DCC’s) national communications network. This will support the interoperability of these devices when consumers change energy supplier.

Where can I find more information?

• The consultation letter and accompanying Annexes can be found here.
• Furthermore, the updated SMETS1 Testing Baseline Requirements Document (TBRD) can be found on our Developing SEC page here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Comments on this proposal should be submitted by 17:00 on 4 December 2019 to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk;

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme – Regulation
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) concludes the consultation on proposed changes to Schedule 11 ‘Technical Specification Applicability Tables’ (TSAT). The changes being made are to the Installation Validity Period (IVP) and Maintenance Validity Period (MVP) end-dates for SEC Schedule 10 ‘Communications Hub Technical Specifications’ (CHTS) v1.0 and v1.1.

Responding to the consultation, the Secretary of State issues the direction to re-designate SEC Schedule 11 ‘Technical Specification Applicability Tables’ on 18 October 2019 (or soon after).

The response letter and direction can be found here.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please email smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched a consultation on proposed changes to SEC Schedule 11 ‘Technical Specification Applicability Tables’ (TSAT).  The changes proposed are to the Installation Validity Period (IVP) and Maintenance Validity Period (MVP) end-dates for the ‘Communications Hub Technical Specifications (CHTS)’ v1.0 and v1.1.

This is as a consequence of industry’s agreement to include both CHTS v1.1 and CHTS v1.3 compatible Communications Hub availability, with new and amended milestones, on the Joint Industry Plan (JIP).

The consultation letter also proposes the timing for re-designation of the TSAT in the Smart Energy Code (SEC).

• The consultation letter can be found here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

Comments on this proposal should be submitted by 17:00 on 11 October 2019 to smartmetering@beis.gov.uk;

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
2nd floor,
1 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1H 0ET

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published the Government response to the consultation that ran between 30 May and 27 June 2019.  The original consultation proposed to direct the Data Communications Company (DCC) to provide Enduring Change of Supplier (ECoS) arrangements for smart meters (SMETS2 and enrolled SMETS1 smart meters).

BEIS has directed the DCC under the DCC Licence Condition 13A to plan for the design, development and implementation of the systems, processes and procedures to deliver, migrate to and operate the ECoS2 solution.

• The consultation response cover letter and Annex (Response Document) can be found here.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please email smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

Today, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a consultation on a post 2020 policy framework to provide clarity on the Government’s plans beyond the end of 2020. The proposed framework keeps consumers at the heart of the Programme, whilst driving the investment and momentum needed so that even more households, small businesses and the energy system as a whole benefit from smart metering.

The consultation, ‘Delivering a Smart System: A Smart Meter Policy Framework post 2020’ is available here.

BEIS has also published its latest analysis, the Smart Metering Implementation Programme: Cost Benefit Analysis (2019), which shows that after all costs the rollout is set to deliver a £6 billion benefit to the country. In parallel, BEIS also today published a package of research reports including the Consumer Benefit Stocktake and the results of the In Home Display alternative trials.

How can I respond to this consultation?

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

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
2nd floor,
1 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1H 0ET

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 10am on Monday 11 November 2019.

Today the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a consultation on proposed changes to the Smart Energy Code (SEC) and Data Communications Company (DCC) Licence. The intent of these changes is largely to facilitate the continued enrolment of SMETS1 smart meters into the DCC network. There are also some other miscellaneous smart metering-related changes.

• The consultation letter and accompanying annexes can be found here.

Why are BEIS consulting?

This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on six technical implementation proposals that require amendments to the SEC and two proposals that require amendments to the SEC and DCC Licence in order to facilitate SMETS1 enrolment and other miscellaneous matters in relation to smart metering. Subject to consideration of consultation responses and the parliamentary process, the revised SEC and DCC Licence drafting 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.

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme – Regulation
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
2nd floor,
1 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1H 0ET

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 10am on 14 October 2019.

Government response to consultation on proposals regarding the Baseline Margin Project Performance Adjustment Scheme for Data Communications Company SMETS1 Services and Direction that the Scheme is made

On 22 August 2019 the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have concluded the consultation on Baseline Margin Project Performance Adjustment Scheme (BMPPAS) for Data Communications Company (DCC) SMETS1 Services.

The consultation proposed an incentives scheme to tie the DCC margin for delivery of its SMETS1 Service to the final quantity of Smart Metering Systems (SMSs) successfully Enrolled, and the speed at which their Enrolment takes place.

The consultation response letter can be found here.

The Scheme is now made and as outlined in the original consultation provides incentive for the DCC in the delivery of the SMETS1 Services outlined by the Licence Condition 13 plans.

Where can I find further information?

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please email smartmetering@beis.gov.uk.

Today the Department for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation on the government’s proposal to add proportional load control functionality to the Smart Metering System. This relatively small and incremental change will build on existing Auxiliary Load Control Switch (ALCS) and Home Area Network (HAN) Connected Auxiliary Load Control Switch (HCALCS) functionality to enable more precision and flexibility in the control of load on behalf of consumers than is currently possible. This is intended for use in effective management of significant loads such as electric heating systems and the smart charging of batteries and electric vehicles. The consultation includes proposed drafting changes to the SMETS2 Technical Specification to deliver this outcome.

Broader context on the government’s proposals on electric vehicle smart charging are provided in a separate recently published consultation. BEIS have also provided innovation funding to demonstrate the existing load control functionality of the smart metering system, in particular for electric vehicle smart charging. Further detail on these demonstration projects can be found here.

How can I respond to this consultation?

• The Auxiliary Proportional Controller Consultation and associated annexes can be found here.
• Annex D ‘Proposed SMETS2 drafting’ can be found here.

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

Or

Smart Metering Implementation Programme – Delivery
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
2nd floor,
1 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1H 0ET

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 5pm on Friday 20 September 2019.