Implementation of R0021 / R0101 in June 2023

History Print

R0021 & R0101 were implemented in Code on 30 June 2023, as part of the June 2023 Retail Energy Code (REC) Release, to support the introduction of Safe Isolation Providers (SIPs). Additional information was needed from Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), Suppliers & Metering Equipment Managers (MEMs) to support the interim solution between 30 June 2023 and 03 November 2023.

Contents

Background
Change Proposals R0021 & R0101
2.1. Change Proposal R0021
2.2. Change Proposal R0101
Interim Solution Option
Information Required from DNOs, Suppliers and MEMs to Support the Implementation and Interim Solution
Next Steps
Further reading

Background

SIPs have the ability to carry out de-energisations and re-energisations to support the installation of Isolators or Low and Zero Carbon Technology (L&ZCT) equipment, including Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) Points. Property owners are able to contract directly with SIPs to carry out this work, without needing to identify and make arrangements directly with all the individual Suppliers who have meter points at the property. All SIPs must be accredited MEMs, which means that they already have the technical skills, audit framework and industry systems necessary to carry out this role.

When SIPs attend a property to carry out work on other Suppliers' meters, they may come across a number of scenarios that they will need to notify to other parties, through changes to (and the introduction of one new) Market Messages:

Notification to DNOs (as defined in the Guidance for Service Termination Issue Reporting document)
- Immediate Danger relating to DNO equipment (e.g. cut-out)
- Damage to DNO equipment (e.g. cut-out)
Notification to Suppliers
- Immediate Danger relating to Supplier equipment (e.g. meter)
- Damage to Supplier equipment (e.g. meter)
- Suspected Interference / Tampering
- Site left de-energised (or later re-energised)
- Smart comms cannot be re-initiated

The solution was developed in collaboration with the Distribution Connection and Use of System Agreement (DCUSA) Working Group for DCUSA Change Proposal 394 (DCP394) and includes the changes required to the REC to cover all of these scenarios, as well as the introduction of the SIP role itself.

Change Proposals R0021 & R0101

Change Proposal R0021

Main page: R0021 "Allowing REC accredited MEMs to de-energise and re-energise supply points independent of the Supplier"

Raised in December 2021, this Change Proposal recognised that there was no ability for premise owners to request that a single MEM completes work on multiple properties that may have different Electricity Suppliers. This created barriers to developing solutions for local authorities, private and social housing landlords who are refurbishing premises or to help any premise owner (whether domestic or non-domestic) install new equipment to facilitate L&ZCT such as the retro-fit of EVC Points to homes and business premises.

This Change Proposal was raised to create a new role - a Safe Isolation Provider (SIP) - that will enable MEMs to accept instructions to undertake a limited set of activities at the request of the premise owners without the need to use the Registered Suppliers’ MEMs. A consultation was circulated on 12 July 2022 to obtain views on the Preliminary Change Report and R0021 was subsequently approved by Ofgem on 08 December 2022 for implementation on 30 June 2023.

Change Proposal R0101

Main page: R0101 "Revision of the Implementation Date and approved solution for R0021"

Raised in March 2023, this Change Proposal was required to clarify the intent and mechanisms required to support R0021, following a webinar with REC Parties on 02 March 2023 in which a number of questions were raised about the solution. A further webinar was hosted on 09 May 2023, during the Consultation period for R0101, to ensure that Parties had the opportunity to clarify any final questions, to enable them to respond to the Consultation. R0101 was subsequently approved on 26 May 2023 for implementation on 30 June 2023.

Interim Solution Option

The Code Manager recognised that the approval of R0101 on 26 May 2023 and publication of the Pre-Release on 30 May 2023 gave limited opportunity for Parties to prepare for the implementation of these changes. As a result, R0101 introduced an interim solution option for DNOs and Suppliers who may not have been able to deliver the required changes to Market Messages in full by 30 June 2023. It enabled a manual, interim solution to be adopted for the relatively low volume of notifications to DNOs and Suppliers (of danger, damage and interference) that was expected between 30 June 2023 and 03 November 2023.

MEMs who intended to carry out any work as a SIP must have implemented the solution in full, at the time that they want to start carrying out approved activities as a SIP.

All Parties needed to have implemented the full, automated solution, by 03 November 2023.

For any SIP activity carried out between 30 June 2023 and 03 November 2023, the interim solution required SIPs to determine whether or not any affected DNOs or Suppliers were able to receive relevant updates via Market Messages or whether they needed to contact them with updates by telephone instead.

Information Required from DNOs, Suppliers and MEMs to Support the Implementation and Interim Solution

Since the interim solution required Parties to communicate by telephone, the Code Manager agreed to host the relevant information within the Metering Hub on the REC Portal. SIPs could refer to the information hosted there to enable them to determine which DNOs and Suppliers needed communications by telephone (rather than Market Messages) and when each DNO and Supplier planned to be in a position to receive Market Messages. It also provided SIP contact details to enable DNOs & Suppliers to contact them with any necessary updates in response to the notifications that they received from the SIP.