What is P272?

Following an industry-wide consultation, the UK gas and electricity regulator, Ofgem, has introduced new metering legislation known as ‘P272’.

Following an industry-wide consultation, the UK gas and electricity regulator, Ofgem, has introduced new metering legislation known as ‘P272’.

Under the conditions of P272 all electricity customers identified as profile classes 05-08 must use an accredited, automated meter, which is capable of sending regular half hourly data usage, allowing BES to provide you with more accurate billing information. This will also highlight when a business may be using more or less energy and if the usage is at peak or off-peak times, making it a valuable tool when making your business run more cost efficiently.

All profile classes 05-08 will be appointed a Meter Operator (MOP) and a Data Collector (DC). The MOPs and DCs will run and maintain your meter whilst communicating the readings to BES.

Will P272 affect me?

Your profile class can be found in the top left-hand corner of your S (supply) number. Your S number can be found on your monthly invoice and will look like the below example. The example below is a profile class 05. If your S number shows either 05, 06, 07 or 08, then you will be affected by the changes P272 will bring.

I have a Profile Class 05-08, what do I need to do?

From 05 November 2015, those customers with a profile class 05, 06, 07 or 08, which already have an accredited, automated meter reading (AMR) device will be billed and settled half hourly. Those customers with a profile class 05, 06, 07 or 08 and have a Current Transformer (CT) Meter will also be billed and settled half hourly. The exact date that your migration will happen will depend on your contract renewal date. All meters with a profile class of 05-08 must be settled half hourly by 01 April 2017 regardless of contract renewal date.

I have a Profile Class 05-08, but I don’t have an AMR, what do I need to do?

Please contact BES to arrange the installation of an AMR device. For BES customers, this service is free of charge.

I have a Profile Class 05-08 and an AMR, when is my migration date?

Your migration date depends on your contract renewal date. Your supplier has 45 days from your contract renewal, date or change of supply date, to go through the change of measurement class process, to update your meter to Half Hourly billing. This means your migration date is dependent on your contract end date or change of supply date.

For those customers whose contract end date falls after 01 April 2017, the change of measurement class process will be completed in migration batches, ensuring all are changed prior to the deadline date. If your contract ends after 01 April 2017, please contact BES for a migration date.

Do I need a MOP and DC?

Yes, to enable your supply to have Half Hourly data collected, you must have a MOP and a DC. You can appoint a MOP and DC yourself, however, to make the process simpler, BES can appoint one for you, which has been the case prior to the Change of Measurement Class (CoMC) for most profile class 05-08 customers. If supplied by BES, you can contact us directly for further information on which companies provide these services.

CT Meter & Capacity Charge

Customers that have Current Transformer metering will have a pass-through Availability Charge (also known as Capacity Charge) added to their invoice once they are settled using Half-Hourly Meter Readings. An Excess Capacity Charge and Reactive Energy Charge may also be applicable. All of these charges are levied by the Distribution Network Operator and will be passed through at cost.

If you are unsure whether your meters have a Current Transformer, please contact your supplier who will be able to provide you with this information.

What is my Maximum Import Capacity (MIC) & Can I change my KVA? (Maximum Import Capacity)

The Maximum Import Capacity (MIC) is set and controlled by the Distribution Network Operator for your supply premises. If you would like to amend your MIC, please speak directly to the relevant Distribution Network Operator. For a full list of contacts, please refer to the National Grid website.

Can I move to Profile Class 03 or 04 to avoid P272?

ELEXON, the balancing and settlement code company that manages the electricity and trading arrangements for England and Wales, has had a number of queries raised regarding Metering Systems in Profile Classes 05 – 08 being downgraded to Profile Classes 03 or 04, rather than being migrated to Half Hourly Settlement under P272.

They have advised that if a Profile Class 05 – 08 MPAN has an advanced meter fitted (smart meter), then it must be migrated to Half Hourly Settlement in line with the P272 requirements, and cannot be moved to Profile Class 03 or 04 for the following reasons:

  • The Standard Licence Condition (SLC), section 12.17-12.22 states that, from 6 April 2009, any new sites that meet the Profile Class 5-8 definition in the BSC must have an advanced meter fitted.
  • Any existing Profile Class 5-8 sites at 6 April 2009 were required to have an advanced meter fitted by 6 April 2014.
  • Additionally, from 6 April 2014, any non-domestic premises with Current Transformer metering must have an advanced meter fitted.
  • From 1 January 2021, all premises with Current Transformer metering, whether domestic or non-domestic, must have an advanced meter fitted.
    Where there is such a licence obligation, Suppliers must transfer existing Metering Systems to Half Hourly Settlement by 1 April 2017, as detailed in P272.

Further information can be found on the Elexon website.

Or you can contact Elexon on P272implementation@elexon.co.uk

Jargon Explained

CoMC – Change of Measurement Class
MOP – Meter Operator
DC – Data Collector
DA – Data Aggregator
HH – Half-Hourly
DNO – Distribution Network Operator

Definitions Explained:

Capacity Charge: a cost charged to electricity suppliers by Distribution Network Companies (DNO) based on a consumer’s highest (or peak) energy usage during a specified period. This is to guarantee the DNO has the capacity to meet a consumer’s peak usage at all times when it is needed. Capacity Charges are usually passed onto the end consumer by the supplier as part of their monthly electricity bill.

Current Transformer (CT) Meter: a specific type of electricity meter required to safely measure high electricity currents or currents at high voltage levels.

Data Collector (DC): a company or organisation responsible for collecting consumption data from an electricity meter. The DC is also responsible for passing the data collected to Data Aggregators (DA) which aggregate the individual EAC values for each supplier for provision to the industry.

Distribution Network Company (DNO): DNOs are companies licensed to distribute electricity throughout Great Britain’s electricity distribution network. There are 14 DNOs covering the whole of Great Britain.

Maximum Import Capacity (MIC): the maximum amount of electricity a consumer will use in any half hour in any day. Capacity is measured in kilovolt-amps (kVA) and the MIC is used to calculate the level of capacity charge payable to the DNO.

Meter Operator (MOP): a company or organisation responsible for installing and maintaining electricity meters in Great Britain. Every meter point in Great Britain is required to have a MOP appointed to it, either via an electricity supplier or directly by the end consumer.

Migration: the process by which a consumer will be transferred across from non-half-hourly settlement to half hourly settlement.

Migration Date: the date on which a consumer will be transferred across from non-half-hourly settlement to half hourly settlement.

Profile Class (es): the categories to which various types of customer are allocated by the electricity industry depending on their status (domestic/non-domestic), amount of electricity consumption and meter type.

Settlement: settlement is the industry balancing process that all electricity suppliers are required to undertake. Settlement is essentially the difference between the electricity the supplier has purchased on behalf of its customers and how much electricity its customers have actually consumed. These are known as Settled volumes.

Smart Meter: an electronic device capable of recording and remotely communicating how much electricity has been consumed in each half-hourly period.

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