What’s it all about and how do you get started?

A Safe Isolator Provider, known as SIP, is a new role recently created by the Retail Energy Code (REC). It is creating a lot of interest from EV charger installers and other electrical contractors for whom the isolation of the incoming electrical supply to a premises is needed to facilitate the work. This guide is aimed at helping you understand what it all means.

An organisation that achieved qualification as a SIP can de-energise and re-energise a domestic customer’s supply by removing the Distribution Network Operator’s (DNO) main fuse to enable further work to take place. However, for organisations looking to capitalise on the new role and take their first steps into this highly regulated space, it’s not as straightforward as might have been hoped.

Let’s start by understanding the function of a SIP

Why was the SIP role created?

It’s true that the SIP role is necessary for EV charger installers, but that’s simply a timely coincidence. It was introduced specifically to help owners of multi-occupancy buildings or large housing stock, such as local authorities and social landlords, to organise remedial or upgrade works impacting their electrical supply and metering points in a more efficient manner.

Before the SIP role was introduced, only the DNO who owned and operated the main fuse, or the Meter Operator Agent (MOA) appointed by the electrical energy supplier for the property, were permitted to remove and replace the main fuse. Therefore, when a landlord wanted to undertake work impacting several customers, they would be required to liaise with the electricity supplier of each property impacted to arrange for the appointed MOA to attend and de-energise each supply point and then re-energise when the work was completed. In a block of flats, for example, this would be a complicated, time-consuming and costly procedure.

Now, with the introduction of the SIP role, the property owner is able to engage a single party who is authorised to isolate and re-energise all the impacted meter points regardless of who the electricity supplier is for each individual flat. That’s because a SIP does not need to be instructed by the appointed electrical energy supplier for each flat but can act on the instructions of the property owner.

Additional attractions of the SIP role

The attractiveness of the SIP role to owners of multi-occupancy buildings or volume housing stock is clear, but interest from many other parties is gathering momentum. Organisations undertaking electrical work at domestic properties that frequently require the isolation of the supply at the incoming fuse are keen to take advantage.

If an organisation is accredited as a SIP, it can legitimately de-energise and then re-energise the incoming electricity supply to a premises to allow work such as the installation of a 100 Amp isolator switch or the change of a consumer unit to be undertaken and notify the DNO. It doesn’t need to liaise with and organise the attendance of a third party such as the electrical energy supplier’s MOA. This reduces costs and potentially increases income. 

How does a company become a SIP?

Qualifying as a SIP is more challenging than you might imagine, and the financial investment and time required present a potential stumbling block for smaller organisations such as EV charger installers. But it is not impossible. Many businesses make it to the finishing line and Wheatley Software Solutions has the UK’s leading accredited dataflow software required for MOAs to help you along.

To become a SIP an organisation most first be qualified as an accredited MOA recognised by the REC. It can then apply to become a SIP and on qualifying can accept instructions from a property owner to undertake SIP works as defined in the Distribution Connection and Use of System Agreement (DCUSA) without being the appointed MOA for the meter point.

However, the challenge isn’t yet complete. If the organisation wishes to undertake the physical SIP work (i.e. de-energisation and re-energisation) itself, it will also need to be accredited as an Electrical Metering Operative (EMO). Otherwise, the SIP can instruct a third-party EMO to undertake the physical work.

Why is the SIP role so tightly regulated?

The industry and DNOs specifically point to strong safety considerations for maintaining tight control over access to the main fuse and supply side metering equipment, with a secondary consideration around traceability and tampering with equipment. Restricting the SIP role to organisations who have already qualified as an MOA ensures they have the appropriate knowledge, processes and systems in place to operate on the DNO’s equipment safely. It also guarantees that the appropriate industry messaging systems are used to inform other impacted players within the industry of work and of changes to metering systems and customers’ circumstances. For example, a SIP must use industry messages to inform the DNO before it isolates a supply and to confirm the re-energisation, and to notify the energy supplier of any circumstances where a smart meter’s communications are not restored upon re-energisation.

The scope of work a SIP can undertake is limited and tightly defined to reflect the intended purpose of the role. A SIP cannot undertake any other meter work such as the installation or exchange of a meter. You can see the definition in Section 2H of the DCUSA.

The SIP can undertake the activities below in relation to whole current meters:

  • De-energise the installation by removing the main fuse
  • Where reasonably necessary, adjust the terminals of the meter and associated equipment and re-make the connections to make safe and remedy any disturbance to the connections that may have occurred during the work
  • If required, terminate/replace the customer tails on the electricity supplier’s meter
  • Re-energise the installation by replacing the main fuse

MOA and EMO, a closer look at definitions

Within the REC, the roles of the MOA and EMO are collectively referred to as the Meter Equipment Manager (MEM). The entry requirements and processes are detailed on the REC portal website. Consolidated MeteringCode of Practice and Qualification and Maintenance.

An MOA is an organisation which has qualified in that role under the REC Qualification and Maintenance Schedule (schedule 9 of the REC) and is accredited under the REC Metering Accreditation Schedule (schedule 15).

Electricity suppliers must appoint an MOA for each registered meter point. The MOA is accountable for the installation, replacement, repair and maintenance of electrical metering equipment. It is also responsible for the data management, data exchange and physical work associated with that meter point.

An EMO is an organisation (not an individual) approved under the Metering Accreditation Schedule to undertake the physical installation, replacement, repair and maintenance of electrical metering equipment.

To recap, it is the MOA who is appointed by the electrical energy supplier and acts as the energy supplier’s agent. The MOA, if qualified and accredited, can also then act as the EMO or can contract with a third-party EMO. However, in this case the MOA is responsible for the actions of the EMO.

For many organisations, the benefits they are seeking to capitalise on becoming a SIP are only achieved if they first qualify in both the MOA and EMO roles.

Relationship between MOAs and SIPS

Steps to get started as a SIP

To get started on the journey to becoming a SIP, the REC website is the starting point. It provides plenty of guidance and access to the relevant application documents and processes, which are all online. To understand the application process, the REC Entry and Assessment Information Pack is very informative Programme Coordinator Tender Pack v0.1 (https://recportal.co.uk).

The CoMCOP (‘Consolidated Metering Code of Practice’) specifies the minimum requirements that apply to the undertaking of the installation, operation and maintenance of metering equipment. It provides a good idea of the scope, breadth of knowledge and competency an organisation will need to demonstrate to become a MOA, covering metering codes of practice, safety, industry data systems and messaging and data security

The CoMCOP is written as a combined code of practice covering both gas and electricity and both electrical whole current and Current Transformer (CT) metering. However, it is recognised that not all organisations will want to cover the whole range of activity and during the application process the scope of the organisation’s ambition can be agreed and appropriate assessments defined. It is possible to qualify as an MOA with a limited scope.

One of the requirements of an MOA is to demonstrate the ability to send and receive market messages via the industry systems and to conform to specific timing and structure requirements. This is also a requirement of ascension to the DCUSA. For organisations seeking to become a SIP and not wanting to undertake any significant metering work this can be one of the more difficult requirements to meet and maintain. However, it is a key part of being an MOA.

The accreditation process for becoming an EMO is focused on the safety and technical aspects of physical metering works. After submitting an acceptable application under the CoMCOP, the applying organisation will be granted a provisional approval pending completion of a site visit and observation. Successful completion of the site inspection, including any remedial steps requested, will then lead to full approval. Annual inspections are undertaken to ensure continuing compliance.

In summary, the steps towards qualification as a SIP are as follows:

  • Apply to the REC to become an MOA (also called a MEM in the REC)
  • Gain MOA accreditation under the CoMCOP
  • Obtain a Market Participant ID from Elexon
  • Demonstrate ability to send and receive market messages via the Data Transfer Network (DTN)
  • Accede to the DCUSA
  • Apply under the Balancing and Settlement Code from a SIP Role Code (Y) to be published in Market Data

The challenges

For organisations that want to undertake metering work as a core part of their service offering, becoming an MOA or an EMO is a well-documented and defined process which involves systems and services that will be at the heart of their business. Although it can be challenging to navigate the steps initially, with a little support the process can be easily achieved and is a necessary investment in the ongoing operation of their metering activity.

However, for businesses looking at the MOA / SIP roles as a route to gain more electrical installation work or EV charger installation contracts, the situation is more challenging. The initial work to set up the processes and systems infrastructure to become an MOA is significant and involves both cost and time and will be subject to passing future audits. The industry messaging systems and access to the industry data transfer service involve ongoing costs, including those needed to establish a gateway to the industry systems via the DTN operated by Electralink. More information on the DTN can be found on the Electralink website.

Don’t give up!

The REC and its auditors are sympathetic to entrepreneurial organisations such as EV charger installers who want SIP accreditation but do not wish to undertake much or any metering work. They will look at minimising the requirements by issuing restricted qualification where they can. However, the requirements have been put in place to ensure existing safety and security processes are maintained, including the transfer of key data between industry players and the protection of end customers.

The SIP requirements were exhaustively debated to balance the needs and concerns of many interested parties and are likely to be monitored for some time before any major changes are considered. For EV charger installers, the SIP role is perhaps not the complete answer they had hoped for. It potentially only becomes commercially viable for large installation contracts where significant volume is assured to offset the capital and revenue costs of gaining and maintaining MOA accreditation.

If you and your team would like to confirm your understanding of the SIP role and explore how to gain accreditation, Wheatley Software Solutions can talk you through the process and potentially provide access to industry data messaging systems. We have been at the forefront of the development of such systems since the start of the energy market deregulation in 1998 and have helped and guided many organisations, large and small, through the process.

Contact us here


Terminology reminder

SIP
Safe Isolator Provider
REC
Retail Energy Code
DNO
Distribution Network Operator
MOA
Meter Operator Agent
DCUSA
Distribution Connection and Use of System Agreement
EMO
Electrical Metering Operative
CoMCOP
Consolidated Metering Code of Practice
CT
Current Transformer
DTN
Data Transfer Network

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