SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
MEETING NAME
SVG 166
Date of meeting
2 December 2014
Paper number
SVG166/02
Owner/author
Stephen Francis
Purpose of paper
Decision
Classification
Public
Summary
The EMR (Electricity Market Reform) arrangements scheduled for
implementation in February 2015 require new Market Domain Data (MDD) role
codes. Availability of new codes is currently limited, and so to meet the
requirements as efficiently as possible ELEXON seeks to reassign a number of
role codes that are no longer in use.
1.
Background
1.1 MDD contains a Market Role entity that identifies the roles performed by each participant within the Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) market. The information is used by industry participants to process Settlement data and to validate, send and receive data flows using the Data Transfer Network (the DTN).
1.2 Within the current design, Market Role is defined as a single-character alphanumeric field. To date, all upper-case letters of the alphabet (A-Z) have been assigned to specific Market Roles, as have all but one of the single-digit numerals (see Appendix 1).
1.3 The rest of the available character set comprises lower-case letters and a selection of special characters (mathematical symbols, punctuation marks, underscores, etc.). While these are supported by the DTN, we’ve avoided using them as role code identifiers because of their potential for misinterpretation.
2.
Requirements for EMR
2.1 The arrangements for Capacity Markets (CM) and Contracts for Difference (CfD) make use of the DTN to transfer data between market participants. In all, three new participant types have been identified:
●
EMR Settlement Services Provider●
Capacity Provider●
CfD GeneratorThese all require MDD role codes in order to ensure effective data transfer.
2.2 The EMR Settlement Services Provider is a central body and only has a mandate to operate in that specific role. It will hold a unique Market Participant ID (MPID) and as such, we believe it’s sufficient to assign the ‘Non-core’ Market Role (role code: Z) to this service provider. Note that this MPID will be used to represent both the ‘CFD Settlement Services Provider’ and ‘CM Settlement Services Provider’ referenced by the DTN. 2.3 In contrast, the Capacity Providers and CfD Generators are market participants, many of whom are already
operating as generators or Suppliers. For data integrity purposes, it’s advisable that these new EMR activities are associated with unique role codes, as this ensures data flows are correctly transferred to and from the appropriate business functions.
SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
2.4 The EMR arrangements therefore require two new MDD role codes, whereas currently there’s only one code (the numeral ‘7’) that’s readily available for use.
3.
Reassigning redundant codes
3.1 ELEXON has identified at least six role codes that are currently assigned in MDD but are operationally redundant. These relate to the Scottish Settlement arrangements, which were decommissioned after the implementation of BETTA (the British Electricity Transmission and Trading Arrangements) in 2005.
Role Code Description
E Energy Trading Centre
H GA Agent
N BSP Meter User O GRS Operator
Q System Data Provision Operator Y Generator
3.2 We propose that these six codes be cleared and that two are re-used to provide the role codes required for EMR; we propose code ‘E’ for ‘Capacity Provider and code ‘H’ for CfD Generator. This would then leave five codes of spare capacity for use in the medium term.
4.
Impact on industry
4.1 We recognise that there are several extant MPID-role code relationships associated with these codes, most of which date from before NETA Go-Live in 2001 (see Appendix 2 for details). We believe that these
relationships can be safely removed as the processes to which they originally related have been discontinued. 4.2 To confirm this understanding, we’ve consulted with Electralink as the operator of the DTN. Electralink is
able to confirm that there’s no evidence of these role codes being used to send or receive data flows over the network during the past year. It has also confirmed that the role codes could be reassigned without any operational impact either on the DTN or its associated tools.
4.3 We’ve also consulted with the wider industry:
●
On 30 September 2014 we issued a Market Participant Impact Assessment email to MDD users that summarised the issue, outlined our proposal and invited comment. We publicised this further through editions of Newscast and posts on the BSC Website.●
During October-November 2014 we carried out follow-up conversations with participants, including those currently assigned with the role codes in question. As well as seeking their general views, we wanted to understand whether there were any internal business processes that relied on these codes in any way and which could be impacted by a change.The response from participants is that they wouldn’t be impacted by the clearing and re-use of redundant role codes.
5.
Next steps
5.1 Subject to the SVG’s agreement on the approach, we would progress the proposals through the MDD Change Request process, raising a change for decision by the SVG on 6 January 2015 as part of MDD Version 224.
SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
As part of this, participants will have the opportunity to perform a further impact assessment and provide comments before the changes are presented for decision.
6.
Longer-term options
6.1 We recognise that this proposal is focused on the medium term. There are longer term options that could be considered in order to ensure any future requirements for role codes can continue to be met; these include:
●
Use of lower-case alpha characters. If systems are able to adopt case-sensitivity then in theory thiswould open up another 26 codes for use, but the impact could be significant;
●
Use of special characters. We recognise that these characters can be confusing visually, however from a technical perspective, when used over a business-to-business network such as the DTN, they’re no more complex than standard alphanumeric characters and shouldn’t necessarily be discounted;●
Modifying the role code entity to use a CHAR(2) format. This would instantly provide at least 36^2 = 1296 code combinations using the standard alphanumeric characters, and so would accommodate more than enough new roles. However this would also have widespread impacts on participants and their systems, and would require a significant change to the DTN design.6.2 At present, there are no other changes on the horizon that appear to give rise to new role codes. However, ELEXON will continue to monitor the situation and advise the SVG if further investigations are required.
7.
Recommendations
7.1 We invite you to:
a) AGREE that the identified six redundant MDD role codes be cleared, with codes ‘E’ and ‘H’ being re-assigned for use with the EMR arrangements;
b) NOTE that ELEXON will raise an MDD Change Request to implement the proposal; and
c) NOTE that ELEXON will monitor the continuing demand for MDD role codes and update the SVG if further actions are required.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Current role codes
Appendix 2 – Extant MPID-role code relationships for redundant codes
Attachments
None
For more information, please contact: Stephen Francis, Technical Design Authority
Steve.francis@elexon.co.uk
SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
APPENDIX 1 – CURRENT ROLE CODES
Code Description Currently assigned
in MDD? Used by DTN? Used by Settlement? Notes
0 Green Deal Licensee Added 2012
1 Green Deal Provider Added 2012
2 Green Deal Remittance Processor
Added 2012
3 Unmetered Supplies Operator (UMSO)
4 Meter Administrator (MA)
5 Smart Metering System Operator (SMSO)
Added 2013
6 Non Half Hourly Data Retriever
7 Free for use
8 Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Added 2003
9 Communications Provider Added 2010
A HH Data Aggregator
B Non-HH Data Aggregator
C HH Data Collector
D Non-HH Data Collector
E Energy Trading Centre Pre-BETTA
F Pool Funds Administrator Relevant for SVAA-FAA interfaces
G ISR/IAR Agent Currently known as SVAA
H GA Agent Pre-BETTA, was SESL
I Teleswitch Agent
J Supply Fault Information Centre
K Profile Administrator
L Electricity Central Online ENQ Service
M Meter Operator
N BSP Meter User Pre-BETTA
O GRS Operator Pre-BETTA
P PRS Agent
Q System Data Provision Operator Pre-BETTA
R Distributor
S Settlement System Administrator Used for SVAA-SAA transfer
T Grid Control Company Represents National Grid
U Market Domain Data Agent
V Prepayment Meter Infrastructure Provider
W Revenue Protection Service
X Supplier
Y Generator Pre-BETTA
SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
APPENDIX 2 – EXTANT MPID-ROLE CODE RELATIONSHIPS FOR REDUNDANT CODES
As of MDD v221Market Participant ID Role Code Effective From Date Company Name
AFPL Y 05/06/2000 AES Fifoots Point Ltd
BORL Y 28/03/2000 Eggborough Power Ltd
CECO Y 11/08/2000 Coryton Energy Company Ltd
DAMC Y 28/03/2000 Damhead Creek Ltd
DEES Y 03/05/2000 Deeside Power Development Co Ltd
DRAX Y 20/08/1999 AES Drax Power Ltd
EFPL Y 20/08/1999 Edison First Power Ltd
EMGE Y 07/07/2000 TXU Europe Merchant Generation ETOL Y 20/08/1999 Enron Teeside Operations Ltd
GCHP Y 03/05/2000 Grangemouth CHP Limited
GYPL Y 11/08/2000 Great Yarmouth Power Limited HYDE E 01/10/1997 Scottish Hydro Electric plc HYDE N 01/10/1997 Scottish Hydro Electric plc HYDE O 01/10/1997 Scottish Hydro Electric plc HYDE Q 01/10/1997 Scottish Hydro Electric plc HYDE Y 01/04/1996 Scottish Hydro Electric plc ICPL Y 20/08/1999 ICI Chemicals and Polymers MANP Y 11/08/2000 Manx Electricity Authority MIDE Y 09/11/1998 Midlands Electricity plc NELC Y 09/07/2004 British Energy Generation Ltd NGTL Y 28/03/2000 Killingholme Power Limited
NPOW Y 03/05/2000 INNOGY Plc
NTWL Y 28/03/2000 Nitrogen Two Ltd
PCHP Y 28/03/2000 PowerGen Combined Heat & Power PGEN Y 17/03/1999 Eon Energy Solutions Ltd
PURE Y 01/04/2004 Good Energy Limited
RUGE Y 10/11/2000 TXU Europe Rugeley Ltd
SCPL Y 03/05/2000 South Coast Power Limited SESL H 01/04/1996 Scottish Electricity Settlement Ltd SESL Y 09/11/1998 Scottish Electricity Settlement Ltd
SPOW E 01/04/1996 Scottish Power plc
SPOW N 01/04/1996 Scottish Power plc
SPOW O 01/04/1996 Scottish Power plc
SPOW Q 01/04/1996 Scottish Power plc
SVG166/02 – REASSIGNMENT OF REDUNDANT MDD ROLE
CODES
Market Participant ID Role Code Effective From Date Company Name
SYMB Y 17/09/2014 Symbio Energy Ltd
WBUR Y 10/11/2000 TXU Europe West Burton Ltd
