Help
Print This Page
Technical Assurance of Metering Systems
The TAA and TAAMT
C&C Group are the Technical Assurance Agent (TAA) for Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) and Central Volume Allocation (CVA) in Great Britain.
As part of an ongoing effort to deliver the best service to the industry, C&C Group have developed the Technical Assurance Agent Management Tool (TAAMT). This is a centralised database and online tool that contains all historical data and information for Metering Systems performed by TAA inspectors. It is accessible to all participants to view inspection schedules and results, and to submit data and communicate with the TAA.
Please contact the TAA Helpdesk if you would like a TAAMT log-in.
If you are interested in receiving training on TAAMT, please contact Aiman Zaidi on 020 7380 4127.
TAA Helpdesk
The TAA Helpdesk is available during business hours to answer any questions on the service and help with data submission.
Helpdesk Contact Details:
Telephone: 0870 760 5044
Email: taa_service@candc-uk.com
For further information, please click here to view the TAAMT Frequently Asked Questions.
TAA's Annual Reporting Activities for BSC Year 2007/08
The TAA Annual Report provides the TAA’s view on the health of the Half Hourly metering population in both the SVA and CVA markets. The report is based on the information and results obtained from Technical Assurance of Metering Systems and have been used to highlight key market issues, particularly those with high levels of potential materiality or risk to the quality of data used in Settlement.
The TAA presented the report to the BSC Panel on 12 June 2008. You can download a non-confidential version of the report from the table below.
ELEXON also produce individual reports to Registrants and Meter Operator Agents who received 25 or more visits during the period.
Below is the TAA Annual Reporting Activities timetable, which gives key activity
dates.
|
Activity
|
Date - Start
|
Date - Finish
|
|
Materiality Investigation data requests sent to participants (for category 1 non-compliances
raised between April 2007 and December 2007)
|
21/01/2008
|
21/01/2008
|
|
Education and Debrief sessions held
|
03/03/2008
|
14/03/2008
|
|
Materiality Investigation data requests sent to participants (for category 1 non-compliances
raised between January 2008 and March 2008)
|
31/03/2008
|
31/03/2008
|
|
Annual Report presented to the PAB
|
21/05/2008
|
21/05/2008
|
|
Annual Report presented to the BSC Panel
|
12/06/2008
|
12/06/2008
|
|
Annual Report and Annual Statistics Report published on the ELEXON website
|
16/06/2008
|
16/06/2008
|
|
Customer Reports sent out to relevant participants
|
16/06/2008
|
20/06/2008
|
|
Education and Debrief sessions held
|
30/06/2008
|
14/07/2008
|
Reports
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
Technical Assurance of Metering Systems Process
The Technical Assurance process is designed to provide assurance that Metering Systems
installed for Settlement purposes correctly record energy consumed or generated.
The technique is part of the
Performance Assurance Framework .
This technique is performed by the TAA; a BSC Agent contracted and managed by ELEXON.
The high level process for Technical Assurance is defined in Section L7 of the Balancing
and Settlement Code (BSC). The detailed procedures for Technical Assurance, including
the key interfaces, timetables and responsibilities for the Technical Assurance
Agent (TAA) and relevant parties, is detailed in
Balancing and Settlement Code Procedure (BSCP) 27 ‘Technical Assurance of Half Hourly
Metering Systems for Settlement Purposes’.
Every year the TAA inspects a representative sample of Half Hourly (HH) Metering
Systems registered in the Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) and Central Volume Allocation
(CVA) Systems to determine if Parties are compliant with the HH Metering System
requirements in the BSC, BSCPs and Metering Codes of Practice. Please refer to the
table below to see current sample sizes and schedule of TAA Inspection Visits for
Technical Assurance.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
On selection of a Metering System, the TAA will notify the relevant Registrant,
Meter Operator Agent (MOA) and Licensed Distributor System Operator (LDSO) of the
scheduled inspection visit. The Registrant should make the arrangements for the
scheduled visit to take place within the timescales outlined in BSCP27, liaising
with the customer or premise owner, the MOA, LDSO and the Transmission Company to
provide access as required. The TAA will carry out the inspection visit in accordance
with BSCP27 and record the findings.
The TAA also undertakes a Consumption Data Comparison Check (CDC Check) to compare
the consumption data held on the Data Collector’s systems and the metered data recorded
at the Meter during the inspection visit. This is to ensure that the energy recorded
by the Meter is consistent with the energy values entering Settlement.
Results of the Inspection
The TAA issues the inspection results following the completion of the inspection
visit and again on completion of the CDC Check. The TAA may issue one or more non-compliances
for a Metering System.
The results of all inspections are sent to the relevant Registrant, MOA and LDSO
where appropriate. The results of the CDC Check are issued to the Registrant, Half
Hourly Data Collector (HHDC) or Central Data Collection Agent (CDCA). In addition,
this information is collated before being distributed to the
Performance Assurance Board (PAB) so it can monitor the performance of the
participants.
Rectification Action
Where a Metering System is non-compliant, the Registrant will be responsible for
progressing the rectification with the support of the MOA, HHDC or CDCA, and LDSO.
Where rectification cannot take place within the timescales specified in BSCP27,
the Registrant shall provide a rectification plan to the TAA detailing when the
non-compliance will be rectified.
Where a category 1 non-compliance is identified, the Registrant responsible for
the Metering System will be advised of the potential settlement error. If, for any
reason, a settlement error materialises that cannot be rectified in accordance with
usual Settlement procedures, a Trading Query may be raised up to 20 Working Days
after the Second Reconciliation Settlement Run (R2) for the affected Settlement
Day.
A Registrant may raise a ‘precautionary’ Trading Query if an error is likely to
be capable of resolution outside the Disputes process. The Query is logged and placed
on hold until either the error is resolved or until the Third Reconciliation Run
(R3) + 5 Working Days, when the ‘precautionary’ Query will be determined in the
normal course as a Trading Query. The advantage of a ‘precautionary’ Trading Query
is that a Registrant is able to raise a Query within the deadline before investigations
into the error are complete, and if it is unable to resolve the error the Disputes
process will still be available.
If the Trading Disputes Committee (TDC) determines that there are exceptional circumstances
as a result of which the applicable Query Deadline should not apply, it may waive
the requirement that the Query should be raised within the Trading Query Deadline.
If the TDC does decide that there are exceptional circumstances, the Query must
still be raised no later than 20 months after the date of the affected Settlement
Period. For more information on what constitutes exceptional circumstances, please
contact disputes@elexon.co.uk.
For further information about the Trading Query/Trading Disputes process, please
see the
Disputes page.
Appeals
The Supplier or Registrant may appeal against a reported non-compliance to the PAB. The
MOA may query a non-compliance, but may not appeal. However, the Registrant/Supplier
may ask the MOA to assist in the appeals process.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
Metering Dispensations
The appropriate Panel Committee may grant Metering Dispensations against the provisions
of the metering Codes of Practice. Further information about Metering Dispensations
can be found on the Metering Dispensations
page.
National Measurement Transformer Error Statement
The National Measurement Transformer Statement is a record of the average errors
attributable to specific Measurement Transformer types (Current Transformer and
Voltage Transformer) based on sample data. Where actual errors for Measurement Transformers
for SVA Metering Systems complying with Codes of Practice 3 and 5 cannot be obtained,
this list may be used by the TAA to replace the Measurement Transformer Test Certificate.
LDSOs may apply to amend the National Measurement Transformer Error Statement via
BSCP515 ‘Licensed Distribution’. The current National Measurement Transformer Statement
is available below.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
TAA Authorisation
The TAA Metering Inspectors are suitably qualified, trained and experienced to carry out the inspection visits and have been issued with the appropriate authorisation throughout Great Britain. Copies of authorisations, where needed, are carried out by the TAA Metering Inspectors to all inspections. A table listing all the authorisations issued to the C&C Group TAA Metering Inspectors by organisations is listed below.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
TAA Test Instrumentation for the Correct Energy Measurement Check
One of the checks that is carried out by the TAA as part of the inspection visit
is a correct energy measurement check to verify that the Metering System is recording
the correct amount of energy.
The main test instrument used by the TAA Metering Inspectors is a power analyser
for establishing primary load. When applied due allowance is made for the prevailing
load conditions along with the nature and characteristics of the electrical load.
The TAA test instruments are used regularly at each TAA visit and any indicative
result deemed to suspect (when on comparison to the Meter under test the difference
is greater than 10%) is carefully checked for consistency and compared with other
instrumentation including on site indications and MOA equipment to ensure the result
is consistent.
The TAA will arrange for the external calibration of a test instrument at least
once per annum, and periodically arrange for the test instruments to undergo separate
comparison checks to ensure consistent performance is being maintained.
Findings from the Workshop on LDSOs in the Technical Assurance of Metering process
On 15 May 2007, E.ON Central Networks hosted an ELEXON-run workshop. The purpose of this meeting was to look at how Suppliers, Meter Operator Agents (MOAs) and LDSOs can work together to help resolve or prevent these certain types of non-compliance and understand any barriers that may stop them doing so. Attendees discussed the complexities that may inhibit action and identified potential solutions to address these concerns. ELEXON also presented a number of market issues, directly relevant to LDSOs, that the BSC Auditor had identified in last year’s BSC Audit report.
Notes from the meeting are available to download from the table below. We invite all those unable to attend to provide comment on the issues and notes from the workshop. There will be subsequent workshops in the near future to which all interested parties are welcome to attend. Details of these will be published in Newscast and on the ELEXON website.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
Technical Assurance Feedback Log
Your feedback helps us to continually improve Technical Assurance. Our feedback
log captures queries and feedback from training sessions, surveys or directly from
Participants. We endeavour to take action in response to your queries where necessary.
Please email comments on the feedback log or any aspect of the Technical Assurance
service to Aiman Zaidi.
Notify me when a document is added/updated to this table
To view Frequently Asked Questions on Technical Assurance of Metering Systems, please refer to the FAQs page, also available from the Related Links menu on the right-hand side of this page. ELEXON are currently reviewing the FAQs which will be available shortly.