Smart and Advanced Metering

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Advanced metering is defined as a meter which, either on its own or with an ancillary device, stores measured electricity consumption data for multiple time periods; and provides remote access to such data by the licensee.

How it relates to you

In April 2009 the government introduced a requirement for Suppliers to provide advanced metering for larger non-half-hourly read electricity and non-daily read gas sites in the non-domestic sector.

For electricity this affects about 170,000 sites in Profile Classes 5 to 8.

The requirement applies to new and replacement meters, with advanced metering to be installed for all such sites by 06 April 2014.

Operational Framework

In September 2008, at Ofgem’s request at an interoperability workshop, we investigated interoperability issues for sites with advanced metering. With a group of industry experts, the Advanced Metering Expert Group (AMEG), we developed the Advanced Metering Operational Framework: Profile Classes 5 – 8.

The Supplier Volume Allocation Group (SVG) endorsed the framework in November 2008, and the framework has since been implemented via a number of change proposals and Approved Modification Proposal P230.

Modification Proposal P230

P230 Enabling Interoperability through the use of CoP10 and CoP5 Metering was implemented on 26 November 2009. This mandates the use of Code of Practice 5 or Code of Practice 10 meters for sites covered by the new licence requirement.

Smart Metering

In October 2008, the Government announced its intention to mandate electricity and gas smart meters for all households. Smart metering functionality is yet to be finalised, but is likely to include:

providing accurate reads remotely for defined time periods
two-way communications
support for a range of time of use tariffs
disabling and enabling supply remotely
ability to measure export; and
ability to communicate with a measurement device within a micro-generator.

BSC Review of Smart Metering and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)

In 2006-2007, we carried out a BSC Review of Smart Metering and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) with the help of an industry expert group. The aim of the review was to identify any changes required to the BSC and Code Subsidiary Documents (CSDs) to:

facilitate market driven smart meter and AMR rollout without introducing any undue risk to Settlement; and
enable Settlement to exploit the benefits of smart meters and AMR.

The review conclusions are considered at the SVG meeting in September 2008.

The review group recommended the following changes, which have all been implemented.

What will Smart Metering mean for Settlement in the longer term?

The BSC Review of Smart Metering and AMR also identified a number of longer term issues which need to be addressed once the direction of smart metering in the domestic and small and medium sized businesses sector is clearer.

This includes considering how industry processes might need to evolve to reflect the new opportunities for interaction with smart meters by Suppliers and agents, and to best exploit the benefits that that the new technology will bring. considering what form this evolution might take.

Will the BSC profiling arrangements need to be changed to support dynamic tariffs and demand side management?

The SVG considered this question in September 2008.

Consultation Responses

We are committed to assisting government in its consultations on smart and advanced metering by providing information about the balancing and settlement implications of the relevant proposals.

Here are our responses:

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