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Operating in the Market FAQs

1. What is SVA Qualification?
2. What data does the Market Domain Data (MDD) consist of?
3. What are MPANs and MSIDs?
4. What is a Load Profile?
5. How do you allocate Profile Classes?
6. What is the process to validate LLF data?
7. How is CALF used in the Credit Checking Process?
8. What are the Credit Rules under the BSC?
9. When does a Credit Default occur?
10. How do interconnectors work?

1. What is SVA Qualification?

Under the BSC, SVA Parties, SVA Party Agents and CVA MOAs are required to gain Qualified status by completing the SVA Qualification process. The SVA Qualification process aims to provide assurance that an organisation’s systems, which may interact with the BSC Systems and other participant’s systems, developed outside of ELEXON’s control, are in line with BSC requirements and good practice.

One of the main activities for new entrants in the SVA Qualification process is completion of a Self Assessment Document (SAD) and provision of evidence to support the responses to the SAD questions. The SAD embodies the Qualification Requirements. Applicants are also required to design and execute a program of testing in order to satisfy functional and communications testing requirements. ELEXON (or its Qualification service provider) will review the SAD and supporting evidence (including test evidence) and make a determination about whether or not the Applicant has satisfied the Qualification Requirements. A risk based approach will be taken to reviewing the SAD and supporting evidence. Once the SAD is completed to an appropriate standard ELEXON will present a recommendation to the Performance Assurance Board, the BSC Panel sub-committee which grants Qualification approval.

Once Qualified, market participants are required to maintain their Qualified status through the re-Qualification process. Re-Qualification should be completed prior to a Qualified Person implementing a Material Change to the systems and/or processes that it uses to carry out it obligations under the BSC. As agreed in the PAB meeting in September 2006, no fees will be charged to applicants for Qualification and re-Qualification.

For more information and guidance on the SVA Qualification process (including re-Qualification) please refer to the SVA Qualification pages.

More information about the qualification process is available from the Entering the Market section of this site.

2. What data does the Market Domain Data (MDD) consist of?

Market Domain Data (MDD) is the central repository of Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) market information and is essential to the operation of the SVA Trading Arrangements as it includes critical parameters such as Standard Settlement Configurations, Profile Classes and GSP Groups. In order for the trading arrangements to operate efficiently it is essential that all parties utilise the correct data at all times therefore, the generation, maintenance and distribution of such data needs to be managed in a secure and auditable manner.

To meet this requirement the SVA Agent acts as the single, central repository for all such data and is responsible for its maintenance and distribution to all interested parties, Market Participants and Agents.

Section 2 and 3 of the PDF MDD Handbook (587Kb) provide the information stored in MDD.

3. What are MPANs and MSIDs?

Each point of entry and exit onto a Distribution System Operator’s Distribution System has an associated Metering Point and each Metering Point has an associated Administration Number (MPAN) and Metering System Identifier (MSID). MPAN is the term used in the Master Registration Agreement (MRA), the governance document for the registration of Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) Metering Points registered in Supplier Meter Registration Systems (SMRS).

To find out more about the MPANs and MSIDs, refer to the MSID/MPAN Guidance article, available from the PDF ELEXON LINK - March 2003  (66Kb) edition.

4. What is a Load Profile?

Load Profile is a broad term that can refer to a number of different forms of data. It can refer to demand and consumption data or it can be a reference to derived data types, such as Regression and Profile Coefficients. However, all these data types have one thing in common; that they represent the pattern of electricity usage of a segment of supply market customers. A load profile gives the Half Hourly (Settlement Period) pattern or ‘shape’ of usage across a day (Settlement Day), and the pattern across the Settlement year, for the average customer of each of the eight profile classes. It is the proportion of demand in each Settlement Period that is of interest to the Settlement System.

For more information about Load Profiles refer to the PDF Load profiles and their use in electricity Settlement (208Kb) document.

5. How do you allocate Profile Classes?

The method of allocating a Profile Class is dependent on whether:

  • i. the Metering System Identifier (MSID) is Import or Export;
  • ii. meter usage is Domestic or Non-Domestic;
  • iii. meter has ‘switched load’ capabilities;
  • iv. Maximum Demand (MD) is recorded.

The Profile Class suite currently consists of 8 Profile Classes (as defined in Appendix 4.1 - Allocation of Profile Classes to NHH MSIDs), two of which are for Domestic usage (codes 01 and 02) and 6 of which are for Non-Domestic usage (codes 03 to 08). Each NHH MSID will be assigned to a Profile Class.

The allocation of SSCs to NHH MSIDs is described in Appendix 4.2 - Allocation of NHH MSIDs to SSCs.

Information of how to allocate Profile Classes is available from PDF BSCP516 (64Kb) .

6. What is the process to validate LLF data?

This BSC Procedure (BSCP) defines the means by which the SVA Line Loss Factors (LLF) attributable to each Line Loss Factor Class (LLFC) Id for Half Hourly and Non-Half Hourly Metering Systems registered in the Supplier Meter Registration Service (SMRS) are submitted by Public Distribution System Operator (PDSO) for approval by the Panel or its nominated representatives and communicated to the Supplier Volume Allocation Agent (SVAA), Half Hourly Data Aggregators (HHDAs) and Suppliers.

It describes the key interfaces, timetable and responsibilities of the various parties. For a given Metering System this BSC Procedure covers the following:

  • i. notification of SVA LLFs for a new LLFC Id;
  • ii. update, annually or as required, of SVA LLFs for an existing LLFC Id; and
  • iii. format for submission of SVA LLF data and the Panel approval process.

This BSC Procedure does not cover the notification of LLFs for Metering Systems registered with the Central Meter Registration Service (CMRS), which is covered by BSCP28, or for ERS registered Metering Systems, which is covered in BSCP128. The notification of new LLFC Ids for Metering Systems registered in the Supplier Meter Registration Service (SMRS) is covered in BSCP509, Changes to Market Domain Data.

For more information on how to validate LLF data, please see PDF BSCP128 (319Kb) .

7. How is CALF used in the Credit Checking Process?

Download the Word CALF Guidance (744Kb) document and refer to section 1.5.6 Appendix 1 of PDF Section M (154Kb) of the BSC.

8. What are the Credit Rules under the BSC?

Under the BSC arrangements, payments to and from Trading Parties in respect of Trading Charges arising on any particular Settlement Day are made, on average, twenty-nine calendar days later. Thus, at any given time, Trading Parties may have debts (or be due payments) in respect of Trading Charges incurred, on average, over the previous twenty-nine days. The purpose of Credit Cover is to ensure that, should a Trading Party default, sufficient collateral is available to pay these debts.

The BSC does not stipulate the amount of Credit Cover that Trading Parties must provide. Instead Trading Parties decide on the level of Credit Cover that they wish to provide, and credit checking is intended to ensure that a Trading Party cannot accumulate a debt over the twenty-nine day period that exceeds the amount of Credit Cover provided.

For more information refer to the Information Sheet PDF Overview of Credit Cover (335Kb) and PDF Section M (154Kb) of the BSC.

9. When does a Credit Default occur?

The Credit Default processes are triggered when a Party’s Credit Cover Percentage (CCP) exceeds a number of thresholds. The Level 1 Credit Default process is triggered when the CCP exceeds 80% and the Level 2 Credit Default process is triggered when the CCP exceeds 90%.

For further information on how the CCP is derived please refer to the Information Sheet ‘Overview of Credit Cover’

Information about Credit Default can be found from section 3.2 and 3.3 of PDF Section M (154Kb) of the BSC.

10. How do interconnectors work?

Download the guidance document Word BSC Interconnector Trading (347Kb) which was produced to assist BSC participants in understanding the operation and general terminology used in relation to Interconnectors under the auspices of the BSC. Please note that detailed obligations are set out in the Balancing and Settlement Code and Code Subsidiary Documents (CSDs).

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