What is the Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS)?
Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) is a major reform of Great Britain's electricity market, designed to enable a smarter, more flexible energy system. By using smart meter data to settle electricity consumption in half-hourly periods, MHHS will help improve the accuracy of settlement processes, support greater flexibility across the energy system and enable the development of innovative energy products and services.
Ofgem estimates that MHHS could deliver net benefits of between £1.6 billion and £4.5 billion for consumers in Great Britain between 2021 and 2045. Smart meters play a vital role in enabling these benefits by providing the data needed to support a more accurate and efficient electricity market.
How DCC supports MHHS
DCC played a key role in supporting the delivery of Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS), implementing changes to both the Data Service Provider (DSP) and Central Switching Service (CSS) to support the new Target Operating Model and the introduction of the Meter Data Retriever (MDR) role.
In addition to delivering these changes, DCC supported industry testing activities and ensured its infrastructure was ready to support the increased volumes of smart meter data required by MHHS. Today, these capabilities form part of DCC's ongoing services, supporting the continued operation of the MHHS market model.
Key MHHS enhancements
- Introduced support for the new Meter Data Retriever (MDR) role.
- Enhanced interfaces between industry systems to support new market processes.
- Increased platform capacity to support higher volumes of settlement data and activity.
- Supported industry testing and implementation readiness across the wider MHHS programme.
How does Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement work?
Creation of a New User Role
As part of MHHS, a new DCC User Role, the Meter Data Retriever (MDR), was introduced to support the collection of smart meter data for settlement purposes. Organisations operating as Meter Data Retrievers are required to complete the relevant DCC onboarding and testing processes before accessing DCC services.
The introduction of the MDR role supports the MHHS Target Operating Model by enabling the secure retrieval of smart meter data required for half-hourly settlement, helping to improve the accuracy and efficiency of electricity settlement processes.
How electricity suppliers will work with us
MHHS has introduced new arrangements for the collection and use of settlement data. While the impact on electricity suppliers is significant, changes to their interactions with DCC are relatively limited.
Electricity suppliers can collect settlement data through their existing arrangements or choose to delegate settlement data collection to a Smart Data Service operating as a Meter Data Retriever (MDR), depending on their business strategy and operating model.
Changes for DCC User Roles
Please note that the SEC (Section H3.13A) requires any DCC User submitting Service Requests for the purpose of submitting data to settlements to make the first attempt via a Data Service Provider Scheduled Service Request, regardless of DCC User Role. On Demand Service Requests should only be used where the Data Service Provider Scheduled Service Request has failed.
Data Cleansing
Some Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) Participants have data cleansing obligations under MHHS.
Whilst most data items that may be affected by data cleansing activities do not impact DCC, any intention to change Metering Point Metered Indentifier (meteringPoingMeteredInd) should be notified to DCC Operations prior to undertaking a data cleanse since changes to this data entity may cause issues within Central Switching Service.
How do we test MHHS systems?
DCC supports the ongoing testing and assurance activities required to maintain the secure and reliable operation of Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS). This includes providing testing environments, supporting participant onboarding and ensuring new users can meet the requirements set out in the Smart Energy Code (SEC).
Systems Integration Testing
DCC provided dedicated testing environments to support MHHS Systems Integration Testing and migration activities. These environments enabled participants to validate systems, processes and data flows in a controlled setting ahead of implementation. Dedicated Meter Point Administration Numbers (MPANs) were allocated to ensure testing activities could be undertaken without affecting existing services.
User Entry Process Testing
Organisations wishing to operate within the MHHS market must complete the relevant User Entry Process Testing requirements set out in the Smart Energy Code (SEC). Depending on the role being undertaken, participants may be required to complete testing activities, security assessments and onboarding processes before accessing DCC services.
These requirements help maintain the security and integrity of the smart metering ecosystem while ensuring consumer and market data remains protected.
How do we collect data?
Users are required to use a scheduled request for related DCC Service Requests in the first instance and should only use the on-demand version should a scheduled version be not-available (as in 4.1.1 or 5.1 for example, or as a retry following a failed scheduled attempt). This is required by the legal text to allow DCC to better manage capacity across the network.
More information
Find out more about:
- The plan for MHHS
- How testing will be managed
- The process behind MHHS
- How you can keep informed about MHHS
- What changes are being made to the regulations (MP162 modification)
- How this impacts the Retail Energy Code
- Join 'The Clock' for regular updates on the programme by going to the bottom of this page and clicking the 'Sign Up' button.
Further reading
