Codes of Practice Compliance and Protocol Approvals
Section L ‘Metering’ of the Balancing and Settlement Code requires one of two types of Metering Equipment to be used for Settlement purposes; Half Hourly (HH) Metering Equipment or Non Half Hourly (NHH) Metering Equipment.
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How it relates to you
The Supplier (the Registrant) is responsible for confirming NHH Metering Equipment meets the requirements of the relevant CoP (i.e. CoP 8, 9 and 10) for NHH Settlement purposes. The Supplier is also responsible for ensuring the protocol (i.e. data communication language) the NHH Data Collector (DC) uses to remotely (or locally) collect metered data from NHH Metering Equipment is suitable for NHH Settlement purposes.
HH Metering Equipment (i.e. Meters and Outstations) need to be submitted for testing for compliance against the relevant metering Code of Practice (CoP) (i.e. CoPs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 10) and approved before being used for HH Settlement purposes. The HH Metering Equipment manufacturer usually applies for compliance testing.
The applicant needs to select a Compliance Testing Agent (an independent test body that has suitable UKAS Accreditation or an International equivalent) to carry out the compliance testing and Elexon needs to agree this.
Once Elexon agrees the test script with the applicant, the applicant can submit samples of the HH Metering Equipment to the Compliance Testing Agent.
Once the compliance testing is completed the applicant submits a test report to Elexon for review. If all the relevant compliance tests are successful, Elexon can issue a Certificate of Compliance to the applicant.
HHDCs and/or the Central Data Collection Agent (CDCA) will usually apply for protocol approval for the HH Metering Equipment they wish to remotely (or locally) collect metered data from for HH Settlement purposes. HH Metering Equipment manufacturers can apply on behalf of a DC.
The applicant is responsible for securing a sample of the HH Metering Equipment is provided to the Protocol Testing Agent (i.e. DC) for protocol testing. The DC conducts the protocol testing and Elexon witness the tests. If successful, Elexon can issue a Certificate of Protocol Approval to the DC.
Guidance
We’ve produced Guidance for applicants for compliance testing and protocol approval of HH Metering Equipment.
- Compliance testing and protocol approval of Settlement Meters and Outstations
- BSCP601 Protocol Test Script: CoPs 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 Guidance Note
BSC Procedure
Section L contains the rules for installing, commissioning, operating and maintaining Metering Equipment under the BSC, plus the associated functions of the Technical Assurance Agent (TAA). It also covers: compliance with the Codes of Practice (CoPs); Metering Dispensations; Meter Technical Details; ownership, access to and use of metering data; and right of access to Metering Systems.
BSCP601 ‘Metering Protocol Approval and Compliance Testing’ defines the processes for an applicant seeking to apply for compliance testing and protocol approval of HH Metering Equipment.
This procedure covers the application process, submission of HH Metering Equipment for compliance testing, communications with the Compliance and Protocol Testing Agents and the issue and removal of certificates.
BSCP601 does not apply to Metering Equipment that is compliant with the Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification (SMETS) or to communications with such Metering Equipment.
Compliance and Protocol Approvals documents
The CoP Compliance and Protocol Approvals document is updated when new HH Metering Equipment Types are approved for use in Settlements.
For compliant HH Metering Equipment, the list shows the version/issue of the CoP that it was approved against.
For protocols, the list shows which DCs (HHDC or the CDCA) have had the relevant protocols approved for use in Settlement and the year in which it was approved.
Valid Outstation Types
The List of Valid Outstation Types csv file is updated when a new Outstation Type (identifier) is required (SVA Data Transfer Network data item J0471 ‘Outstation Type’).
Please note that the csv file is part of the Guidance Notes collection.
CoP Timelines
We’ve published a document with a timeline of each CoP, which also shows the previous version of each CoP.