Further update on monitoring of the meter stock shortage, driven by global materials availability and supply chain challenges

Issue 97 Workgroup findings

The Issue 97 Workgroup was established to consider the risk presented by the wide scale shortage of semi-conductors and electronic components required to manufacture Meters and the disruption to the associated supply chains.

The Workgroup recommended that Elexon collects feedback from industry using a Request for Information (RFI) to understand if participants are currently experiencing a shortage of Meters, as well as requesting them to forecast their Meter availability for future months.

It was also agreed that this feedback would be shared with the wider industry via the Elexon BSC website.
RFIs will be issued quarterly requesting actual data for the prior three months and the forecast view for the following three, six and twelve months.

Industry feedback

Elexon has been provided with feedback on the availability of various Meter types and activities from:

• Meter manufacturers
• SVA Meter Operator Agents (MOAs) / Metering Equipment Managers (MEMs)
• CVA MOAs

The charts below indicate the percentage of respondents within each group that responded with an actual or forecast impact rating of:

High

Indicating a significant impact on availability of equipment or the operations in respect of Fault Resolution or New Connections

Medium

Indicating a moderate impact on availability of equipment or the operations in respect of Fault Resolution or New Connections

Low

Indicating a minimal impact on availability of equipment or the operations in respect of Fault Resolution or New Connections

No Impact

indicating no material impact on availability of equipment or the operations in respect of Fault Resolution or New Connections

N/A

Indicating that the process or Meter type in question is not relevant to the responding organisation.

The RFI issued by Elexon requested actual impact ratings for each month within the reporting period. As well as a forecast impact rating for the three, six and twelve months after the last month for which actual data was requested.

The latest actual data from the most recent RFI was for December 2022.

Impact ratings were requested for:

Metering Equipment categories:

• Current Transformer (CT) Metering Equipment
• Advanced Meter Read (AMR) Meters
• Smart Meters
• In Home Displays (Smart)
• Communications Hubs (Smart)

Operations:

• Fault Resolution requiring a Meter Exchange (abbreviated to Meter Fault MEX below)
• New Connections (abbreviated to New Conn below)

The RFI response data below is presented in bar graphs. This chart type was selected in order to display the relationship of the percentage of respondents indicating each impact rating to the overall impact reported over time.

Bar graphs were selected in order to indicate the change over time and highlight trends in the percentage of each actual or forecast impact rating.

Meter Manufacturers RFI Responses

Only one Meter manufacturer responded to our RFI this quarter, Elexon will work to achieve improved engagement in the next quarterly RFI however as manufacturers are not Parties to the BSC there is no contractual obligation on manufactures to respond.

The only manufacturer to respond answered N/A for all questions in the RFI. This indicates that the issue is not relevant to the responding organisation.

SVA MOA / MEM RFI Responses

Five respondents, fair market coverage. SVA MOAs / MEMs actual impact responses indicate:

Reduction in High impact since the RFI responses for September 2022.

Consistent levels of Medium, Low and no impact reported across the period with over 50% of responses falling into those three impact ratings.

Reduction in High impact ratings reported from October to December 2022.

Decrease in Medium impact ratings between October and December with a corresponding increase in Low impact ratings for the same period.

Reduction of Low impact ratings from October to December 2022 as well as corresponding reduction in No impact ratings between the same.

SVA MOAs / MEMs three, six and twelve month forecast from December 2022 indicate:

Decrease in High impact forecast between six and twelve months. Consistent Medium impact forecast between three and twelve months.

Increase in Low impact forecast between October and December. Corresponding reduction in Medium impact forecast between the same periods.

Decrease in Low impact forecast between September and October 2022 and increase in No Impact forecast for the same period.

CVA MOA RFI Responses

Five respondents, good market coverage. CVA MOA actual impact responses indicate.

CVA MOA All Meter Types Actual Impact

Steady impact across the period with 50% of respondents indicating a Low impact. Increase in Low impact from September 2022 onwards.

CVA MOA Fault MEX Actual Impact

Increase in Low impact reported between September and October 2022. Consistent 50% Low impact reported subsequently. This is consistent with Elexon’s monitoring of CVA faults.

CVA MOA New Conn Actual Impact

Consistent Low impact levels since with over 50% of respondents indicating Low impact between October and December 2022.

CVA MOA three, six and twelve month forecast from December 2022 indicate.

CVA MOA All Meter Types Forecast Impact Dec 2022

Decline of High impact reported between six and twelve month forecast.

Consistent level of Low impact across the three, six and twelve month forecast.

CVA MOA Fault MEX Forecast Impact Dec 2022

Reduced Low Impact forecast between six and twelve month forecast, with consistent N/A impact forecast between three and twelve months forecast.

CVA MOA New Conn Forecast Impact Dec 2022

Increase of Medium impact forecast across the three, six and twelve months forecast.

Additional CVA MOA RFI Response Data

No commentary has been provided for the additional data below.

CVA MOA CT Actual Impact

CVA MOA AMR Actual Impact

CVA MOA CT Forecast Impact December 2022

CVA MOA AMR forecast impact – Dec 2022