March 2019 Standalone Release

Scope of the Release

We have now published the Release Implementation Circular with details of the final scope of this Release.

The  implementation date for this release is 29 March 2019. There is no impact on the BSC Systems.

This includes one approved Modification, P369 (“National Grid Legal Separation changes to BSC”) and a Change Proposal CP1511 (“Clarification of BSCP40 definitions and processes”).

P369 modifies the Balancing Settlement Code to reflect the creation of a new National Grid Electricity System Operator that is legally separate from National Grid Electricity Transmission Limited. This impacts a number of Configurable Items, Guidance Notes and Simple Guides.

CP1511 implements a number of clarifications and improvements to the BSC Change Management processes. It formalises the categorisation of Configurable Items, including the introduction of a new category; Category 3 Configurable Item.

CP1511 impacts BSCP40 and the Architecture Principles document which will be a Category 2 document effective from the implementation date.

There are two more changes targetted for this release, subject to approval. These include, P370 (“Allowing non-BSC Parties to raise Modifications”) and 48-D (“BREXIT”).

Document review of Configurable Items 

The BSC Sections impacted by P369 were updated and approved as part of the Modification process and will be effective on the implementation date.

The industry was invited to review the remainining  Configurable Items between 15 and 28 November. These were then approved by the Panel (BSC Panel 285) on 13 December. The rules and exceptions applied to the amended documents are listed in the Rules and Exceptions document. 

We amended BSCP40 as part of the Change Proposal process for CP1511.  The Panel has approved the proposed changes to the document “Code Subsidiary Documents Architectural Principles” on 14 February 2019, after industry review.