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Invalid Requests for Site Technical Details

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    Initial Assessment
  • 2
    Solution Development
  • 3
    Consultation
  • 4
    Decision
  • 5
    Awaiting Implementation
  • 6
    Implemented
Step 6 of 6
Implemented
Summary
This Change Proposal seeks to provide clarity to Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and Metering Equipment Managers (MEMs) on the process for requesting and sending Site Technical Details as part of Meter Asset Installation, Switch or Change of Agent processes.

Latest update and next planned activity

Date of latest update
Latest Update
03/11/23 - This change was implemented on 03 November 2023 as part of the November 2023 REC Release

Impacts Overview

Impacted Consumers
Electricity Non-Domestic
Impacted REC Parties and Market Participants
Energy Supplier Distribution Network Operator
Other Industry Codes impacted
Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC)
Priority and rationale
Standard

Priority last updated on 17 Sep 2026

Solution development

Problem Statement
Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have reported that they are receiving a high volume of requests for Site Technical Details for Domestic and Microbusiness sites following a Switch or Change of Agent, resulting in increased workload for DNOs to validate and process these requests. It is not clear if these requests are all necessary or required by the MEMs and justify the effort required by the DNO to process these requests.
Proposed solution summary
  1. As a Consumer I want my existing or new meter to be read regularly to ensure I receive accurate bills.
  2. As a Distribution Network Operator I want to receive appropriate Requests for Site Technical Details. As a Distribution Network Operator I want the difference between my obligations and best practice to be clear in relation to provision of Site Technical Details for sites with and without Measurement Transformers.
  3. As a Metering Equipment Manager I want to be provided with Site Technical Details for all relevant sites so I can correctly install, commission and maintain the Metering Equipment.

No documents available.

There is currently no Change Plan.

Original submission

Change details

Elaine Carr - SPEN
22 Nov 2021

Change details

Invalid Requests for Site Technical Details
Following a Change of Supply (agent appointment) or Change of Agent, a number of Gaining/New MEMs are sending D0170 flows to Losing/Old MEMs and DNOs to provide Site/Meter Technical Details.
Currently as a DNO we receive a high volume of D0170 flows for provision of Site Technical Details for sites that are Domestic or Small business and that the DNO hold no technical details for. In addition to this all current D0170 rejection reasons assume that there are Transformers on site, there is no valid rejection reason to use when there is no Transformer on site . This Change Proposal has been raised to reduce the volume of invalid requests for Site Technical Details from MEMs, and to introduce a new rejection reason when an invalid request is received.
This is tying up resource time investigate the enquiry and to send the rejection (this rejection currently will be incorrect). This allows less time to prioritise any valid enquiries as there is an Industry SLA on all responses.
1) Changes to the Supplier to MEM D0155 flow, to include a data item that enables newly appointed MEM to identify whether a D0170 to a DNO to request Site Technical Details is appropriate/not required. This will result in the sending of the D0170 to DNOs only where there is a potential that the DNO holds valid Site Technical Details (e.g when there is a Transformer on site)
2) The ability for the DNO to be able to reject the D0170 on the basis ‘incorrect request’. Changes are required to the D0382 flow to allow a rejection of a request for site technical details where there are no transformers on site. All current rejection codes referenced in Data Item J2215 imply that the site for which the details are requested have Transformers on site, or the user has identified the incorrect DNO area. Large volumes of D0170 flows are received to provide site technical details (Action code 21) for sites that are domestic or small business, and there is no valid code to reject these. These are generally received on an agent appointment or change thereof.
These flows equate to thousands a month and calculating an average of those received in October 2021 (for 1 DNO) 90% have no transformers on site and at present there is no ‘valid’ response that can be provided to explain the reason for rejection. This has been raised with various MEM in the past in an attempt to stop the sending of the D0170 flows for sites that have no transformer, the MEM have advised that the are not aware at the time of appointment of the details, and send to both the previous MEM and the DNO.

Related items

No
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No details provided

Impacts

Electricity, Industrial and Commercial (I&C)
Switching experience, Billing accuracy
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No details provided
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No details provided
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No details provided
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Data Item Catalogue, Market Message Catalogue
Changes will be required to the D0155 and D0382 Flows
No details provided
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No details provided
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Energy Suppliers, Distribution Network Operators
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Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC)
this will require changes to the BSC in terms of the process steps to be followed
No
No details provided

Priority & timing

No
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No, however we believe that this is a straightforward change and would not be onerous
No
No details provided
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Activity

Raise alternative Change Proposal
Change Process user guide