• • • EDITOR'S CHOICE • • •
AN INDUSTRY UNPREPARED: WHY IT IS TIME TO PUSH BACK ON MHHS
2025 has seen a real ramp up in efforts to ensure both pricing and settlements become better aligned through a move towards Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS) By David Sheldrake, Global SVP, POWWR
T
he migration is more than simply a technology upgrade, but one that signifies a move towards a more adaptable, responsive and sustainable energy framework. One that gives customers more control, promotes innovation and encourages collaboration.
Consumers reluctant to transition
MHHS sets the stage for a future where achieving net zero becomes a tangible reality. However, the transition has thus far proved far from easy. Much of this has been down to the sheer variety of meters being used. In fact, it is thought that around 30 million need to be updated to be MHHS ready, with 2.6 million of those being within businesses.
One of the biggest issues is that despite their well-publicised advantages, consumers have been reluctant to transition to smart meters. In fact, over four-in-ten (42 per cent) meters in the UK are still not smart. Meaning several million need to be ripped and replaced before MHHS can be activated on them.
Time has run out Unfortunately, the fact that the physical meter transition has not yet happened is making the back-end transition of the Top Line Supply Numbers problematic. Certain older pre-smart meters simply cannot be transitioned correctly. Yet, time has run out. September 2025 was the date Ofgem had ordered many in the industry to be ready to change the Top Line Supply Numbers and migrate meters to be half hourly.
On the 22nd the migration programme began with those suppliers within the first phase needing to migrate their meters to MHHS half hourly billing. It is thought that two of the big six are included in this first phase.
Easier said than done
All those within the downstream supply chain have been put under pressure by the fact that there are four distinct phases of transition staggered over a one-year period. This is because meters associated with those energy suppliers participating in the first phase have to be listed differently and have a markedly different Top Line Supply Number. The Meter Time Switch Code (MTC) needs to be
removed and replaced with a Settlement Configuration (SSC) Id, and the Current Line Loss Factor (LLF) is split into a DUoS Tariff Id and a new LLF.
It may seem minor, but changing the Top Line Supply Number impacts every system, process or document which holds these numbers, whether that be customer bills or industry databases. And because of the phased approach, all databases need to be able to process both the old, and new Top Line Supply Numbers. This is easier said than done.
An unfair playing field Each supplier has had to interpret how to get the Ofgem mandates to work for them. The reality is that each supplier has different technical expertise. It is no secret that the industry has digitally transformed far less than others. Because of this, each supplier has different technology stacks and different billing platforms. Now, they are being asked to use different field lengths within the databases to be able to process both the old and new top lines during the transition. This is unfairly hampering the less technologically adept suppliers. Because they cannot input the new Top Line Supply Numbers, it is impossible for them to take on that meter. This is leading to an unfair playing field.
Time to push back The whole point of the move towards MHHS was for consumers to get the best and most appropriate rates. It was feted as something that would boost accuracy and stability. Yet, the industry is clearly unprepared. Until the migration of all the suppliers happens in 2027, consumers will simply not be getting the best deals. The move to MHHS was always going to include a teething period where we would all need to become familiar with the required changes to the meters and the associated new terminologies. Yet, with the earliest that time of use tariffs will come in, being another two years, maybe it is time to push back.
https://www.powwr.com 44 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • OCTOBER 2025
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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