Central Management Systems Customers

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Effective From Date:05/07/2023

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Central Management Systems - Customers

Guidance Note

Central Management Systems – Customers

This factsheet is to help you as a customer benefit from a CMS (Central Management System). We explain what a CMS is, its place in Unmetered Supplies arrangements, and how to work with CMS manufacturers, the local Distribution business and electricity Suppliers.

Introducing CMS

Central Management Systems, also known as telemanagement, are the next step in remote dynamic street lighting control. Using a CMS the operator can choose exactly when to switch each individual street light on or off and/or by how much to reduce the lamp power. This allows any number of switching events and/or dimming levels. There are also other benefits such as lamp monitoring etc.

What is required to benefit from CMS?

To use a CMS in the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) Unmetered Supplies arrangements, you need to take these steps:

Ensure the Central Management System has been approved for use under the BSC (Manufacturers should contact Elexon to begin the approval process).

The CMS operator (local, borough and county councils, etc.) must trade Half Hourly and have appointed a CMS-capable Meter Administrator (MA). If you currently trade Non-Half Hourly, please contact your Unmetered Supplies Operator (UMSO. You will need to discuss switching to Half-Hourly trading, and then appoint a CMS-Capable MA.

For a complete list of all BSC approved Central Management Systems and CMS Capable MAs, go to: Central Management Systems.

If a CMS uses mains-borne signalling, the Customer must seek the agreement of the UMSO to use it. BSC approval of a CMS (using mains-borne signalling) does not give the Customer a right to transmit signals over the local electricity Distribution Network.

If you have any questions regarding this aspect of the approval process, please contact Elexon. We can put you in contact with the relevant UMSO.

What are the Main Roles and Key Terms You’ll Encounter?

Dynamic Data: This is traditionally data which uses the actual switching times of a representative sample of photocells contained in a Photoelectric Control Unit (PECU) array. The data recorded by a CMS is also dynamic data, as the actual events being recorded are used in the calculation of consumption.

Half-Hourly (HH): HH data is the energy consumption of a customer in kWh, for each half hour of every day. In order to trade HH a Meter Administrator must be appointed.

Non-Half-Hourly (NHH): NHH does not use any dynamic data and instead uses an estimated number of annual hours for each switch regime. Customers trading NHH cannot take advantage of dynamic data.

Meter Administrator (MA): is the qualified agent which provides the Half-Hourly consumption data into Settlement through its Equivalent Meter (EM). It manages PECU arrays and processes CMS data.

Equivalent Meter (EM): the software used by an MA calculate and then pass the consumption information into Settlement. Suppliers use this information when calculating customers’ energy bills.

CMS Test Agent: is a MA appointed to carry out testing of a CMS in accordance with the relevant test specification.

Unmetered Supplies Operator (UMSO): is a role within the Distribution Business that is responsible for looking after all of the Unmetered Supplies on its Network. It makes new connections and decides what equipment is suitable for use as an Unmetered Supply. The UMSO provides a UMS Inventory to the MA.

Brief Overview of Unmetered Supplies arrangements and CMS

Below is a simplified view of the interactions and data flows between the parties involved in Unmetered Supplies for CMS and non-CMS interactions. complex image of process

Need more information?

BSCP520: Unmetered Supplies Registered in SMRS – details the BSC requirements of the CMS
CMS Equivalent Meter Test Specification – details the Elexon testing requirements for the CMS

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

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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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