BSC Agents provide services under the BSC arrangements. Section E of the BSC defines the roles and responsibilities. Elexon cannot fulfil these roles unless permitted via the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority’s approval of a Modification to the BSC. By contracting out BSC Agent functions, Elexon works to ensure they are managed against agreed service levels.

Who manages BSC Agents?

Elexon procures BSC Agent services; enters into and manages contracts with approved BSC Agents and monitors their performance. Service Descriptions specify the services to be provided, the required levels of performance and the Agent’s liability if it fails to achieve these levels.

The management of BSC Agents and key Service Providers (non-BSC Agents but critical to operational delivery of our BSC obligations) is split between the Service Management and Commercial Management functions within Elexon, and focuses on operational activities versus the contractual arrangements to support such activities or changes.

How is the procurement and contract management process transparent?

Elexon operates an open and transparent approach to all our procurement activity. However, in relation to BSC Agent contracts there are specific obligations within Section E, which state that during the lifetime of a contract or procurement project, Elexon report to the BSC Panel on the procurement process, the management of the BSC Agent contracts, and the performance of each BSC Agent. Information about each current BSC Agent procurement project is also posted on the Commercial Management and Procurement page of the BSC Website.

At the end of a consultative procurement process, the appointments of BSC Agents are approved by the BSC Panel and the Elexon Board.

What are the current BSC Agent roles?

Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent (BMRA) – CGI

The BMRA collects and publishes information about the electricity system in Great Britain. Balancing Mechanism and System Related Information is sourced from the System Operator (National Grid), and Registration Information from the Central Registration Agent.

The BMRA performs and publishes indicative calculations of the Cash-out prices (System Buy and System Sell Prices) for each Settlement Period. This information is published on the BMRS website.

Two grades of service are provided by the BMRA; High Grade and Low Grade. The High Grade Service allows the user a constant, high quality access to the BMRS via a dedicated network. The Low Grade Service uses the public internet to interface with the systems.

BSC Auditor – KPMG LLP (KPMG)

The BSC Auditor conducts an annual audit to provide assurance that the Settlement provisions of the BSC and Code Subsidiary Documents are complied with. It is a detective assurance technique that indicates where improvements are needed. The BSC Audit covers: Central Volume Allocation, including the determinations and calculations made by the BSC Agents and Market Index Data Provider and the systems and processes used by the BSC Agents; and Supplier Volume Allocation, including the submission and processing of standing and periodic data used in Settlement by BSC Parties and Party Agents. In addition, the BSC Auditor may conduct ad hoc audits at the BSC Panel’s request, such as a Data Consistency Check.

Central Data Collection Agent (CDCA) – CGI

The CDCA is responsible for the collection, validation, processing and aggregation of metered data within the Central Volume Allocation arena to enable Settlement to meet the Payment Calendar. Where metered data is incorrect the CDCA is also involved in a process of data estimation and substitution. The CDCA maintains a central registration database for all Metering Systems registered within CVA and carries out Proving Tests on new registrations of Metering Equipment to check they are operational.

Central Registration Agent (CRA) – CGI

A correct record of all Metering Systems within Great Britain is required for accurate Settlement. The CRA registers, validates, maintains and distributes valid registration data from BSC Parties, Party Agents and ELEXON. The CRA also maintains information relating to Credit Cover requirements to facilitate Credit Cover monitoring by the FAA and the ECVAA.

Energy Contract Volume Aggregation Agent (ECVAA) – CGI

The ECVAA receives details of bilateral trades between Trading Parties. Once it receives, timestamps (to identify the exact time that the trade was made) and validates the trade, the data is notified to the Settlement Administration Agent (SAA). This is required for Settlement to be done accurately. The ECVAA also performs a credit check immediately after Gate Closure (one hour before real time trading) and processes requests from BSC Parties to reduce their cover.

Funds Administration Agent (FAA) – CGI

The FAA manages the funds transfer between ELEXON Clear Limited and BSC Trading Parties for Trading Charges owed to or by BSC Parties during the balancing and settlement of the market. The FAA also manages the Credit Cover arrangements to ensure that BSC Parties have enough cover when trading within the market. The FAA maintains a Payment Calendar that defines when payments are due for each Settlement Day.

Settlement Administration Agent (SAA) – CGI

The SAA performs daily Settlement Runs and produces balancing mechanism and Settlement Reports to BSC Parties, the FAA and ELEXON. These reports detail monies owed and owing as a result of balancing mechanism actions and settlement of imbalances.

The SAA operates a number of Settlement Runs for each Settlement Day and produces these reports based on the data submitted by the System Operator, CDCA, Interconnector Administrators, ECVAA and SVAA.

Supplier Volume Allocation Agent (SVAA) – CGI

The SVAA manages Supplier Volume Allocation (the aggregation of profile and actual data obtained from both Half Hourly and Non Half Hourly Metering Systems registered in the Supplier Meter Registration Service (SMRS) maintained by licensed distributors), Daily Profile Production and the Market Domain Data service. All of these functions allow the SVAA to calculate half hourly consumption attributable to each Supplier in a GSP Group in respect of Metering Systems registered in SMRS.

Technical Assurance Agent (TAA) for SVA and CVA Half Hourly Metering Systems – C&C Group Holdings Ltd

The TAA undertakes detective assurance testing of Half-Hourly Metering Systems registered for use in Settlement and ensures these Metering Systems are compliant with the BSC and Code Subsidiary Documents. Four types of visit are used by the TAA:

1. Main Sample Visits

2. Specific Sample Inspection Visits

3. Targeted Inspection Visits

4. Re-Inspection Visits

Reports are provided to Suppliers, Meter Operators, LDSOs and the Performance Assurance Board.

Teleswitch Data Services Agent – Energy Networks Association

This agent monitors the messages concerning contact switching times sent under the Radio Teleswitch Agreement to SVA Metering Systems equipped with a teleswitch. The agent provides a daily service that prepares a data interface file of teleswitch contact switching times reflecting actual messages broadcast for that day and transmitting the file to the SVAA on a daily basis.

It maintains a log archive recording the provision of details of teleswitch messages and reports to the SVAA any known or suspected failures in the monitoring and provision of messages. The teleswitch times are then used by the SVAA to calculate the half-hourly consumption values for Non-Half-Hourly meters.

Transmission Loss Factor Agent (TLFA) – Siemens Plc

The greater the distance electricity needs to travel on the Transmission System from the point of generation, the greater the amount of energy that will be lost due to heat and noise (“transmission losses”). Therefore the cost of transmission losses varies by geographical location.

The role of the TLFA is to calculate a Transmission Loss Factor (TLF) for each TLF Zone (a Zone is the geographic area covered by a GSP Group with a 1:1 relationship) for each BSC Season in order to allocate transmission losses on a geographical basis.

Need more information?

You can find more information in BSC Section E: BSC Agents. A fuller description of the responsibilities of the BSC Agents’ is available from the Service Descriptions published on the BSC Website.

For further information please contact the BSC Service Desk or call 0370 010 6950.

Intellectual Property Rights, Copyright and Disclaimer

The copyright and other intellectual property rights in this document are vested in Elexon or appear with the consent of the copyright owner. These materials are made available for you for the purposes of your participation in the electricity industry. If you have an interest in the electricity industry, you may view, download, copy, distribute, modify, transmit, publish, sell or create derivative works (in whatever format) from this document or in other cases use for personal academic or other non-commercial purposes. All copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the document must be retained on any copy you make.

All other rights of the copyright owner not expressly dealt with above are reserved.

No representation, warranty or guarantee is made that the information in this document is accurate or complete. While care is taken in the collection and provision of this information, Elexon Limited shall not be liable for any errors, omissions, misstatements or mistakes in any information or damages resulting from the use of this information or action taken in reliance on it.

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Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) Agents