Production / Consumption Status and Flag |
Guidance Note |
Production BM Unit – a BM Unit which has a Production P/C Status; and
Consumption BM Unit – a BM Unit which has a Consumption P/C Status.
Production (P);
Consumption (C); or
Null (blank).
if a BM Unit’s P/C Flag is set to P, then its P/C Status is fixed as Production and cannot change unless the P/C Flag setting changes;
if a BM Unit’s P/C Flag is set to C, then its P/C Status is fixed as Consumption and cannot change unless the P/C Flag setting changes; and
if a BM Unit’s P/C Flag is Null, then (with some exceptions which we explain in the next section) its P/C Status is determined dynamically – this means that it may be either Production or Consumption for any given Settlement Day, and can change at any time.
Type of BM Unit | Identified in central BSC Systems by: | Description | P/C Status is: |
Interconnector BM Unit | I_ prefix in BM Unit ID BM Unit Type I | Each Party using an Interconnector (an ‘Interconnector User’) has two BM Units for that Interconnector. | Fixed by the central BSC Systems and cannot be changed |
Supplier BM Unit | 2_prefix in BM Unit ID BM Unit Type G (Base BM Unit) BM Unit Type S (Additional BM Unit) | Each Supplier has 14 Base BM Units – one for each Grid Supply Point (GSP) Group. Suppliers can also optionally register one or more Additional BM Units for a GSP Group. ‘Supplier BM Units’ is the BSC’s collective term for Base BM Units and Additional BM Units. | Fixed by the central BSC Systems and cannot be changed |
Exempt Export BM Unit | Exempt Export Flag set to ‘True’ (T) Can be any BM Unit prefix or Type with the exception of I | A BM Unit relating to an Exemptable Generating Plant1. Can be a Supplier BM Unit with embedded generation or a ‘generation’ BM Unit. To have an Exempt Export BM Unit, the Lead Party must apply for Exemptable status using BSC Procedure 15: BM Unit Registration (BSCP15). | Fixed by the Lead Party and can only be changed by them |
‘Generation’ BM Unit | E_prefix in BM Unit ID / BM Unit Type E T_prefix in BM Unit ID / BM Unit Type T M_prefix / BM Unit Type T | Although the BSC doesn’t define the term ‘generation BM Unit’, we have several different types of BM Unit to represent generation equipment: | Not fixed – the central BSC Systems calculate this dynamically and it can change at any time |
One of these two BM Units has a fixed P Flag, and accounts for energy entering GB over the Interconnector. Its P/C Status is therefore always Production.
The other BM Unit has a fixed C Flag, and accounts for energy leaving GB. Its P/C Status is always Consumption.
must choose its P/C Flag setting when applying for Exemptable Generating Plant status, using either the BSCP15/4.5 form or BSCP15/4.9 form; and
can later change its P/C Flag and thereby its P/C Status (from P to C, or from C to P), by submitting a BSCP15/4.8 form.
the BM Unit is part of a Base Trading Unit (i.e. its Base Trading Unit Flag is ‘True’ (T)); and
the BM Unit’s P/C Flag is ‘Null’.
the BM Unit is not part of a Base Trading Unit (i.e. its Base Trading Unit Flag is ‘False’); and
the BM Unit’s P/C Flag is ‘Null’.
its GC value, if its GC+DC is greater than zero; or
its DC value, if its GC+DC is less than or equal to zero.
Production, if the sum of all the BM Unit Relevant Capacities in its Trading Unit is greater than zero; or
Consumption, if the sum of all the BM Unit Relevant Capacities in its Trading Unit is less than or equal to zero.
the BM Unit joins or leaves a Trading Unit;
another BM Unit joins or leaves its Trading Unit; and/or
the GC and/or DC value for the BM Unit, or for any other BM Unit in its Trading Unit, changes.6
BM Unit | GC (MW) | DC (MW) | Relevant Capacity | Sum of Relevant Capacities means: |
T_GEN-1 | 75 | -5 | 75 | P/C Status is P |
T_GEN-2 | 25 | -5 | 25 | |
T_DEM-1 | 5 | -30 | -30 | |
Sum of Relevant Capacities | 70 |
BM Unit | GC (MW) | DC (MW) | Relevant Capacity | Sum of Relevant Capacities means: |
T_GEN-1 | 0 | -5 | -5 | P/C Status is C |
T_GEN-2 | 25 | -5 | 25 | |
T_DEM-1 | 5 | -30 | -30 | |
Sum of Relevant Capacities | -10 |
it determines to which of a Lead Party’s Energy Accounts the central BSC Systems allocate the BM Unit’s Metered Volume for the purpose of calculating imbalance charges;
it restricts Lead Parties’ ability to reassign the BM Unit’s Metered Volumes to another Subsidiary Party, which can affect both Parties’ imbalance charges; and
it affects how we estimate the Lead Party’s Energy Indebtedness, which we use to decide whether it’s lodged enough financial credit to cover its imbalance charges.
one Production Energy Account to another;
one Consumption Energy Account to another;
a Production Account to a Consumption Account; or
a Consumption Account to a Production Account.
from a Production BM Unit to a Production Energy Account; or
from a Consumption BM Unit to a Consumption Energy Account.
one Production Energy Account to another;
one Consumption Energy Account to another;
a Production Account to a Consumption Account; or
a Consumption Account to a Production Account.
from a Production BM Unit to a Production Energy Account; or
from a Consumption BM Unit to a Consumption Energy Account.
My BM Unit is: | Its GC is: | Its DC is: | Its Credit Cover calculation uses: |
Credit Qualifying | Irrelevant to its Credit Cover calculation | FPN | |
An Interconnector BM Unit |
Credit Qualifying BM Units (which have a Credit Qualifying Status of ‘True’ (T) in the central BSC Systems); and
Interconnector BM Units (i.e. I_ type I).
a Production BM Unit (i.e. has a P/C Status of Production);
an Exempt Export BM Unit (i.e. has its Exempt Export Flag set to ‘True’); and/or
a BM Unit which, following an application by the Lead Party, the BSC Panel determines has been a consistent net exporter of electricity over the previous six months.
My BM Unit is: | Its P/C Status is: | Its DC is: | Its GC is: | Its Relevant Capacity is: | Energy Indebtedness calculated using: |
A Supplier BM Unit + Not Credit Qualifying or Exempt Export | Consumption | =0 | =0 | =0 (DC) | DC*CALF |
<0 | =0 | <0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
<0 | >0 | <=0 (DC) | DC*CALF (can apply for alternative CALF) | ||
>0 (GC) | |||||
=0 | >0 | >0 (GC) | GC*SECALF |
Supplier BM Units with a mixture of demand and embedded generation (i.e. with both a non-zero DC and GC) can apply for an alternative CALF value which, when multiplied by their DC, reflects this; and
Supplier BM Units that only contain embedded generation (i.e. have a zero DC and non-zero GC), have a Supplier Export CALF (SECALF) in place of the normal CALF and we multiply this by their GC instead.
if their P/C Status is Production, their Relevant Capacity determines whether we use their GC or DC (multiplied by their CALF) to calculate their Energy Indebtedness; and
if their P/C Status is Consumption, we always use their DC multiplied by their CALF to calculate their Energy Indebtedness, and their Relevant Capacity is irrelevant to this calculation.
My BM Unit is: | Its P/C Status is: | Its Relevant Capacity is: | Energy Indebtedness calculated using: |
An Exempt Export BM Unit + Not Credit Qualifying or a Supplier BM Unit | Production | >0 (GC) | GC*CALF |
<=0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
Consumption | Irrelevant to its Credit Cover calculation | DC*CALF |
if their P/C Status is Production, the normal rule is that their Relevant Capacity determines whether we use their GC or DC (multiplied by their CALF) to calculate their Energy Indebtedness; and
if their P/C Status is Consumption, the normal rule is that we use their DC multiplied by their CALF to calculate their Energy Indebtedness.
Exempt Export Supplier BM Units which have a Consumption P/C Status and a mixture of demand and embedded generation (i.e. both a non-zero DC and GC) can apply for an alternative CALF value which, when multiplied by their DC, reflects this; and
Exempt Export Supplier BM Units (whether Production or Consumption) that only contain embedded generation (i.e. have a zero DC and non-zero GC) have a SECALF in place of the normal CALF and we multiply this by their GC instead.
My BM Unit is: | Its P/C Status is: | Its DC is: | Its GC is: | Its Relevant Capacity is: | Energy Indebtedness calculated using: |
An Exempt Export Supplier BM Unit + Not Credit Qualifying | Production | =0 | =0 | =0 (DC) | DC*CALF |
<0 | =0 | =0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
<0 | >0 | <=0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
>0 (GC) | GC*CALF | ||||
=0 | >0 | >0 (GC) | GC*SECALF | ||
Consumption | =0 | =0 | =0 (DC) | DC*CALF | |
<0 | =0 | <0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
<0 | >0 | <=0 (DC) | DC*CALF | ||
>0 (GC) | DC*CALF (can apply for alternative CALF) | ||||
=0 | >0 | >0 (GC) | GC*SECALF |
if their P/C Status is Production, their Relevant Capacity determines whether we use their GC or DC (multiplied by their CALF) to calculate their Energy Indebtedness; and
if their P/C Status is Consumption, we always use their DC multiplied by their CALF to calculate their Energy Indebtedness, and their Relevant Capacity is irrelevant to this calculation.
My BM Unit is: | Its P/C Status is: | Its Relevant Capacity is: | Energy Indebtedness calculated using: |
Not Credit Qualifying or Exempt Export + Not an Interconnector or Supplier BM Unit | Production | >0 (GC) | GC*CALF |
<=0 (DC) | DC*CALF |
My BM Unit is: | Its P/C Status is: | Its Relevant Capacity (and GC/DC values) are: | Energy Indebtedness calculated using: |
Not Credit Qualifying or Exempt Export + Not an Interconnector or Supplier BM Unit | Consumption | Irrelevant to its Credit Cover calculation | DC*CALF |
BM Unit ID and BM Unit Name;
[Lead] Party ID and [Lead] Party Name;
BM Unit Type;
Exempt Export Flag;
Base Trading Unit Flag;
P/C Flag;
P/C Status;
GC;
DC;
FPN Flag; and
Credit Qualifying Status.
the Elexon Portal spreadsheet only shows the current information;
the CRA-I014 only shows Lead Parties any future-dated changes which they have requested for their own BM Units; and
neither will show any change in a BM Unit’s P/C Status which is caused by other BM Units (or the change in other BM Units’ GC/DC values or Trading Unit registration which triggered that P/C Status change) until after the event.
Whether the BM Unit is part of a ‘delivering’ (net Export) or an ‘offtaking’ (net Import) Trading Unit in the relevant Settlement Period. This is based on the sum of the Trading Unit’s actual BM Unit Metered Volumes in that Settlement Period and not P/C Status.
After the implementation of Approved Modification P350 on 1 April 2018, the geographic Zone to which the BM Unit is assigned for the purpose of allocating transmission losses.
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1 Where the person generating electricity is either exempt from holding a Generation Licence, or would be if that was their only Generating Plant.
2 This includes Power Station demand units as well as Generating Units.
3 We no longer use this for new BM Units.
4 For a Supplier BM Unit, this is the relevant Supplier. For an Interconnector BM Unit, it’s the relevant Interconnector User. For a ‘generation’ BM Unit, it’s usually the person generating the electricity at the relevant Generating Plant. However, for an Exemptable Generating Plant, that person can authorise another BSC Party to accept the responsibility.
5 GC and DC are the Lead Party’s estimates of the BM Unit’s maximum expected Settlement Period generation or demand. Lead Parties submit these under BSCP15 for each BSC Season, and must resubmit them during a season if the BM Unit’s expected maximum generation/demand exceeds the declared GC/DC value by more than the amount specified in BSC Section K3.4.
6 As well as potentially changing for each BSC Season, Lead Parties may re-declare GC/DC values at any time during a Season.
7 The Grid Code sets out which BM Units have to submit FPNs to the Transmission Company (National Grid). BM Units can also choose to participate in the BM and submit FPNs even if they are not required to do so. A BM Unit which submits FPNs has an FPN Flag of ‘True’ (T) in central BSC Systems. See our Beginners Guide for more about the purpose of FPNs.