The legal document which defines the rules and governance for the balancing mechanism and imbalance settlement
Section A contains the rules covering the different types of BSC Party and how they join, participate in, and leave the BSC. It sets out: how new Parties accede and register; the different capacities that Parties can register in; requirements for Parties to register with the Central Registration Agent (CRA); and provisions for the withdrawal, expulsion or transfer of Parties.
Section B contains the rules covering the constitution and governance of the BSC Panel. It sets out: how the Panel is composed and its members appointed; the Panel's duties, objectives, powers and functions; Panel Members' entitlement to certain expenses, remuneration, facilities and indemnities; administration and proceedings at Panel Meetings; the process for Panel Elections; and how Panel Committees are established. It also covers producing the Annual BSC Report and convening the Annual BSC Meeting.
Section C contains the rules covering the constitution and governance of the BSC Company (BSCCo, Elexon). It sets out: how BSCCo is constituted; the obligations of the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO) as the BSC Shareholder; BSCCo's powers, functions and responsibilities; how BSCCo is managed (including appointment of its Board); the relationship between BSCCo and Parties; how BSCCo's Business Strategy and Annual Budget are established; and provisions relating to BSCCo Subsidiaries.
Section D contains the rules for determining various charges that Parties pay to BSCCo (Elexon) as BSC Costs. These charges are how Elexon recovers the costs it incurs in operating the BSC arrangements. They are distinct from the charges that Parties accrue during trading, which are covered separately in Sections N and T. Section D sets out how Parties' Funding Shares, specified charges and other BSC Costs are determined and recovered. It also sets out how BSCCo recovers other costs in its role as the Contracts for Difference (CFD) and Capacity Market (CM) Settlement Services Providers.
Section E contains the rules covering BSC Agents. It sets out: which BSC services are required to be provided by BSC Agents, BSCCo's (Elexon's) role in contracting with BSC Agents; and the relationship between BSCCo, Parties and BSC Agents. It also contains provisions relating to the BSC Services Manager.
Section F contains the rules by which the BSC provisions can be changed through Modification Proposals. It sets out: the roles of the Panel, BSCCo (Elexon), the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO) and Ofgem in the process; who can raise Issues and Modification Proposals; how Standing Issues and Modification Proposals are progressed; how Workgroups are constituted and governed; how Approved Modifications are implemented; and how Code Subsidiary Documents are created and changed.
Section G contains the rules covering certain contingency events, including Black Start, civil emergencies and Fuel Security Periods. It sets out: how normal BSC rules may be varied during the contingency event; the roles of the Panel, BSCCo (Elexon) and the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO) in the contingency process; and how Parties may recover certain costs incurred during the contingency event.
Section H contains general legal provisions regarding the BSC arrangements. It sets out: how the BSC interacts with Code Subsidiary Documents and other documents; which BSC documents are Code Subsidiary Documents; the circumstances constituting a Default by a Party under the BSC and the resulting consequences; ownership, use and disclosure of BSC data; limitation of Parties' liability under the BSC; dispute resolution; and other provisions defining the legal and contractual relationship between Parties
Section J contains the rules covering Party Agents and Qualification. It sets out: which BSC obligations and activities must be performed through Party Agents; BSC Parties' responsibility for Party Agent performance; which Party Agents and Parties must undergo Qualification; and the Qualification requirements and process.
Section K contains the rules for classifying and registering Metering Systems and BM Units. It sets out: which Parties are responsible under the BSC for registering Metering Systems, BM Units, Trading Units and Interconnectors; the process by which these are registered; how registrations can be transferred (including through trade sales or the 'failing Supplier' process); how Parties submit Generation Capacity and Demand Capacity estimates; how Production / Consumption status is determined; and how Line Loss Factors are established. Annex K-1 also sets out the BSC Requirements relating to the Master Registration Agreement.
Section L contains the rules for installing, commissioning, operating and maintaining Metering Equipment under the BSC, plus the associated functions of the Technical Assurance Agent (TAA). It also covers: compliance with the Codes of Practice (CoPs); Metering Dispensations; Meter Technical Details; ownership, access to and use of metering data; and right of access to Metering Systems.
Section M contains the rules regarding Credit Cover and Credit Default. It sets out how a Trading Party's Energy Indebtedness is calculated; the basis on which Trading Parties may lodge Credit Cover for their Energy Indebtedness; and what happens if this Credit Cover is insufficient and causes a Credit Default. It also includes arrangements for compensation payments to Trading Parties following certain calculation errors.
Section N contains the rules for the clearing, invoicing and payment of Parties' Trading Charges and Reconciliation Charges by the Funds Administration Agent (FAA) and the BSC Clearer (Elexon Clear). It sets out: how Parties are notified of amounts payable; how Parties make or receive payments; the consequences of failing to make or receive payments; and how Parties' Credit Cover is held and used.
Section O contains the rules regarding communications between Parties, Party Agents, the Panel, BSCCo (Elexon), the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO) and BSC Agents under the BSC. It also sets out: the purpose of the SVA Data Catalogue and the Communication Requirements Document; the requirement for each Party to have a Party System in order to communicate with BSC Agents; and rules regarding planned BSC Agent downtime.
Section P contains the rules regarding Energy Contract Volume Notifications (ECVNs) and Metered Volume Reallocation Notifications (MVRNs). It sets out: how Parties authorise agents to submit their ECVNs and MVRNs; how these are validated and may be refused/rejected; how ECVNs/MVRNs are aggregated and matched to Settlement Periods; and how Parties can nullify them. It also contains provisions covering failures of the Energy Contract Volume Aggregation Agent (ECVAA) system.
Section Q contains the rules for submitting Balancing Mechanism (BM) data. It sets out how Parties and the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO) submit BM data, including: Physical Notifications, Bid-Offer and Acceptance data; Balancing Services Adjustment Data; Transparency Regulation Data, Inside Information Data, other data for publication on the BM Reporting Service (BMRS); Loss of Load Probability values and Demand Control Event data. It also covers the correction of Manifest Errors in Bid-Offer data and compensation for Outages in the BM data submission systems.
Section R contains the rules for determining Metered Volumes for the purposes of Central Volume Allocation (CVA). It covers BM Units, Interconnectors, Grid Supply Points (GSPs) and GSP Groups relating to CVA Metering Systems. It sets out rules for the submission and validation of: Central Registration Service (CRS) data and Meter Technical Details; Aggregation Rules; and CVA Line Loss Factors. It also sets out how the Central Data Collection Agent (CDCA) determines Metered Volume data and submits it to the Settlement Administration Agent (SAA) and/or Supplier Volume Allocation Agent (SVAA). It also sets out some further CDCA functions.
Section S contains the rules for determining Metered Volumes for the purposes of Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA). It sets out: Suppliers' rights, obligations, activities and functions relating to SVA (including those for which their Party Agents are responsible); the application of performance assurance measures (including Supplier Charges); the functions of Supplier Meter Registration Agents; the functions of the Supplier Volume Allocation Agent (SVAA), Profile Administrator and Teleswitch Agent; how SVA Metering Systems may be allocated to Additional BM Units; rights and obligations relating to Unmetered Supplies; and how Supplier BM Units' Metered Volumes are determined. It also covers the transfer of Supplier IDs.
Annex S-1 forms part of Section S. It sets out minimum performance levels for Suppliers and details the Supplier Charges that will be levied if these are not met (including the detailed algebraic calculations). It also sets out how Supplier Charges are collected and paid.
Annex S-2 forms part of Section S. It sets out how Supplier BM Units' Metered Volumes are determined for the purposes of Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA), including the detailed algebraic calculations. It covers: Supplier Meter Registration Services, Half Hourly (HH) and Non Half Hourly (NHH) Data Collection and Aggregation; SVA Standing Data and Periodic Data; Reconciliation Allocation Data Input; Daily Profile Coefficients; HH and NHH Metering System Consumption; GSP Group Correction; Adjustment of Supplier Deemed Takes; determination of BM Unit Allocation Demand Volumes; Reallocation Volumes; and Volume Allocation Runs
Section T contains the rules for undertaking Settlement and determining BSC Parties' Trading Charges, including the detailed algebraic calculations. It sets out the data involved and the process followed by the Settlement Administration Agent (SAA) in determining volumes and cashflows. It also sets outs the rules regarding the Market Index Definition Statement; Market Index Data; Loss of Load Probability Calculation Statement; De Minimis Acceptance Threshold; Continuous Acceptance Duration Limit; Price Average Reference Volume; Value of Lost Load; Transmission Loss Factors and Transmission Loss Multipliers.
Section U contains general rules relating to Settlement under the BSC. It sets out: general obligations of BSC Parties and BSC Agents relating to BSC data and information (including data retention); and general provisions relating to Settlement (including the timing/frequency of Settlement and the different types of Settlement Run).
Section V contains details of the Balancing Mechanism Reporting Service (BMRS) and other reporting requirements under the BSC. It sets out: the purpose of the Reporting Catalogue; a high-level specification of the data to be provided through the BMRS by the Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent (BMRA); the difference between the High Grade BMRS and Low Grade BMRS; reporting requirements for other BSC Agents and BSCCo (Elexon); EMR Settlement Data requirements; and Transparency Regulation Data requirements. Its Annexes set out the relevant tables of reports.
Section W contains the rules for raising, progressing and resolving Trading Disputes to correct Settlement Errors under the BSC. It includes provisions covering the constitution, governance, functions and proceedings of the Trading Disputes Committee (TDC) and how TDC decisions may be referred to the BSC Panel. Where a Trading Dispute is upheld, it sets out how Settlement is adjusted to correct the error.
Section X contains the general rules for interpreting the BSC. It sets out: how to interpret general references to other parts of the BSC or to other documents; special rules for interpreting relationships between entities under the BSC; the BSC's conventions on times and dates; the basis for calculating interest and applying VAT under the BSC; and how to use BSC Annexes X-1 and X-2.
Annex X-1 provides a general glossary of the BSC's defined (capitalised) terms, as used in the BSC and Code Subsidiary Documents. For a glossary of BSC technical terms, acronyms and conventions, please refer to Annex X-2.
Annex X-2 provides a glossary of the BSC's defined (capitalised) technical terms and acronyms, as used in the BSC and Code Subsidiary Documents. It also sets out the BSC's technical and algebraic conventions. It covers: use of mathematical operators; sign conventions; use of summations; interpolation of variables; timing conventions; and use of subscripts and superscripts. For a glossary of general BSC defined terms, please refer to Annex X-1.
Section Z contains the rules for the implementation of Performance Assurance Techniques. It includes provisions covering the constitution, governance, functions and proceedings of the Performance Assurance Board (PAB). It covers the procedures relating to Settlement Risks and Risk Management Determinations. It also sets out the functions of the Performance Assurance Administrator and how PAB decisions may be appealed to the BSC Panel.