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The Department for Energy and Climate Change have released a response to conclusions reached in the Smart Energy Code consultation earlier this year.

DECC have published a response to a consultation looking at Smart Energy Code (SEC) content and related licence amendments in support of the smart meter rollout.

DECC set out a number of changes to the SEC, Gas and Electricity Supply Licences and Electricity Distribution Licences ahead of DCC live (Release 1.2) in July.

The SEC is a multiparty contract setting out the terms for DCC's smart meter communications service. The Code also specifies other provisions governing the end-to-end management of smart metering.

The response sets out a number of changes including:

• Rollout Strategy - Additions to the standard conditions of electricity and gas supply (the ‘Supply Licence Conditions’) and the Electricity Distribution Licence for the Early Roll-Out Obligation and the DCC User Mandate.
• Communications Hubs - SEC content dealing with Special Installation Mesh Communications Hubs and Network Enhancement Plans.
• Modifications for User to non-User Churn – Provides for an exception for non-DCC User suppliers from the obligation to make half-hourly consumption data available on request.
• Enduring Change of Supplier - Government’s approach to handling the re-design of the Change of Supplier process.
• DCC Additional Support - Amendments to Section H of the SEC to include provisions for the DCC to provide additional support to assist users in understanding and resolving problems with user systems or devices.
• Security, Privacy and Miscellaneous - A number of proposed minor changes to the SEC including clarifications on Security Disputes.
• Consistency and Consequential Changes - Government’s preferred approach on a more consistent and transparent usage of the terminology of ‘all reasonable steps’ in the SEC and subsidiary documents and a clarified and expanded Incident Management Policy.

Related legal drafting concluded on in this response has been laid before Parliament for incorporation into the regulatory framework.

For Further information, please contact Charles Wood.