CP1516: New Interconnector Fuel Type Categories: ElecLink & IFA2
Formal title: New Interconnector Fuel Type Categories: ElecLink & IFA2
Current Status
Summary
The Balancing Mechanism Reporting Service (BMRS) is used for reporting operational data, relating to the Great British (GB) electricity Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) arrangements. In part, it receives, stores and publishes data relating to the Interconnectors to Great Britain (GB).
Two new High-voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Interconnectors connecting the GB bidding zone to the France bidding zones are currently under construction. The ElecLink and IFA2 Interconnectors between GB and France are due for commissioning in December 2019 – January 2020, and June 2020 respectively.
The BSC arrangements require a separate ‘Fuel Type Category’ to be defined for each Interconnector for reporting purposes. It’s necessary to make changes to include the two new ‘Fuel Type Categories’, before ElecLink and IFA2 go live, in order to provide market participants data in a transparent manner.
The solution proposed for implementing CP1516 is an interim solution whereby aggregated data for Eleclink and IFA2 will be included within the existing IFA field (INTFR) on BMRS. Disaggregated data will be published on a new webpage on the BMRS, from which market participants will be able to pull data via an API, on the same timescales as currently available on the BMRS. The reason for this interim solution, which we expect to be in place until at least November 2020 is because P344 ‘Project TERRE implementation into GB market arrangements’, P384 ‘The publication of European Electricity Balancing Guideline (EB GL) balancing data by BMRS’ and CP1516 all require changes to BMRS for implementation in the November-December 2019 time period. The delivery of these changes over the same timeframe created constraints, that if not addressed would have impacted the delivery of P344.
CP1516 will impact all market participants that use the BMRS to obtain disaggregated Interconnector fuel Type data.
Progression
CP1516 was implemented as part of an ad-hoc December 2019 BSC Release on 18 December 2019.
At its meeting on 10 October 2019, the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) Panel agreed to move the Implementation Date for CP1516 from 30 November 2019 to 18 December 2019 (as part of an ad-hoc December 2019 BSC Release). The previous Implementation Date for CP1516 was 30 November 2019 to ensure data relating to the ElecLink Interconnector could be submitted to BSC Systems as soon as the Interconnector had been energised. As the Interconnector will not be energised in 2019, aligning the Implementation Date of CP1516 to that of the P384 ‘The Publication of European Electricity Balancing Guideline (EBGL) balancing data by BMRS’ Implementation Date will allow Elexon to deliver both changes more efficiently, due to both changes impacting the Balancing Mechanism Reporting Service (BMRS). Further background can be found in BSC Panel paper 295/18.
CP1516 was unanimously approved by the BSC Panel at its meeting on 11 July 2019, for implementation on 30 November 2019. At this meeting, the BSC Panel also approved the two Interconnectors as Fuel Type Categories for data publication purposes, effective from 30 November 2019.
CP1516 was raised on 7 March 2019 after being presented to the Imbalance Settlement Group (ISG) for information as a verbal update on 19 February 2019 (ISG214). The CP1516 industry consultation concluded on Thursday 13 June.
Next Events
No further CP1516 events.