Updating Meter Technical Details where the Meter Installation Date/Time is earlier than the MSID Creation Date

This note is to provide guidance to Meter Operator Agents (MOAs) operating in the Electricity Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) market, who are receiving objections from the Supplier Meter Registration Service (SMRS) when attempting to update Meter Technical Details (MTDs) where the DI-057 ‘Meter Installation Date and Time’ is prior to the ‘MSID Creation Date’ held by SMRS.

Background

The ‘MSID Creation Date’ is set for Meter Points to match the date they are created in SMRS. Where Metering Points were installed before SMRS was created, the ‘MSID Creation Date’ was set as the date the Metering Point was created in 1996.

Some of these legacy meters will remain installed, leaving the Meter Installation Date / Time prior to the MSID Creation Date. In MHHS arrangements, MTDs are held and maintained within SMRS, with validation rules for populating these held within the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) Procedure BSCP 706. The validation rules for the IF005 ‘MTD Updates to SMRS’ state that the ‘Date of Meter Installation must be greater or equal to the MSID Creation Date’. This validation rule is being applied to ‘Meter Update’ Scenario Variants as well as new ’Meter Install’ Scenario Variants, resulting in updates to legacy meters being rejected by SMRS.

It is currently believed that this issue impacts more than 1.2 million Meter Points. To resolve this issue, Supplier Meter Registration Agents (SMRAs) are progressing system updates to only apply the rule to new ‘Meter Install’ Scenario Variants. In the meantime, the following workaround should be followed by MOAs.

Workaround

Where IF-005 ‘MTD Updates to SMRS’ Messages are being rejected as the Meter Installation Date is prior to the ‘MSID Creation Date’, the MOA should first remove the meter using the IF-005 ‘Meter Removal’ Scenario Variant and then re-install the meter with updated information using the IF-005 ‘Meter Install’ Scenario Variant. The date used for both the removal and installation should be the first day of the MOAs appointment.

As this workaround will result in an incorrect Meter Installation Date being applied to a Meter, MOAs should use their judgement in ensuring it is only used to resolve material issues. (i.e. for resolving items such as incorrect Meter Type rather than an incorrect Meter Location). Less material issues should be held until the full resolution is in place, allowing meter updates to be applied without using the workaround.