Customer Information
Glossary
Glossary
General Information
The information below provides details about some of the technical words and acronyms on your customer invoice.
Term (Abbreviation) | Definition |
Access | Access is the nature of users’ access to the electricity networks (for example, when users can import/export electricity and how much) and how these rights are allocated. |
Advanced Energy Cost | An estimated monthly cost based on the contract rates and contracted consumption agreed on the contract. |
AE | Active Export (AE): When the angle between the voltage and reactive component of current is 2700 degrees, the power flow is considered as “reactive export”. All energy recorded by the energy meter for this type of power flow is recorded as “active export energy”. |
AI | Active Import (AI): When the angle between the voltage and active component of current is 00 degrees, the power flow is considered as “ active import”. All energy recorded by the energy meter for this type of power flow is recorded as “import energy”. |
AQ | Annual Quantity (AQ) tells us the amount of gas that a site is expected to use on average in one year, the average is calculated based on a view of seasonal normal weather. The AQ is also is used as a basis for gas allocation and charging. |
Asset Replacement | Asset replacement is when an existing asset(s) is removed and a new asset(s) is installed, by a TO or DNO. This is included as a non-load capex (excluding non-op capex) cost driver. (See ‘Non-Load related Capex – Asset Replacement’ for the price control perspective definition of ‘Asset Replacement’). |
Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) | The BSC covers governance of electricity balancing and settlement in Great Britain. |
Broker | A third party that work on behalf of clients. This could be to agree contracts on their behalf, to assist with the adminstration of the energy supply or both. |
CCL | Climate Change Levy: The Climate Change Levy is a tax on UK business energy use, charged at the time of supply. The final recipient of supplies of electricity generated from certain renewable sources and combined heat and power (CHP) can obtain a tax exemption for generation before 1 August 2015. |
CED | Contract End Date (CED): The date your contract comes to an end. If a new fixed contract is not taken out, you will be moved onto Deemed Rates. |
CF | Correction Factor: A Correction Factor is used to calculate your gas price. The value gives a more accurate view of consumption, taking into account temperature and atmospheric conditions. |
Closing Read | The reading which your account is closed to. |
Commercial Customer | A customer that uses energy for commercial purposes. |
Consumption | Another term for the volume of energy used. |
COP | Code of Practice (COP): A set of guidelines and principles to be followed by members of some profession, trade, or group. In this case, energy suppliers. |
CoS | The Change of Supplier (CoS) process is a specific part of the process of switching between energy suppliers, taking place between the time of the customer signing a contract with a new supplier and the customer being transferred over to the new suppler. |
COT | A Change of Tenancy (COT) is the process of moving into or out of a business premises where responsibility of the energy supply changes is known as a Change of Tenancy or COT. There are two types of COTs; incoming and outgoing. An incoming COT is when you take over a new supply. |
CSD | Contract Start Date (CSD): The day your contract rates are applicable from. |
Curtailment | Curtailment refers to a user’s ability to import or export from the network being restricted, typically applicable to generator export but can also apply to large industrial demand. |
CV | Calorific Value (CV) describes how much heat is generated when a known volume of gas is completely burned away. This means that the CV measures the quality of gas supplied to a property. |
DA | Data Aggregator (DA): The data aggregator is an actor in energy systems, and can be defined as an agent who “offers services to aggregate energy production from different sources (generators) and acts toward the grid as one entity, including local aggregation of demand (demand response management) and supply (generation management) |
DC: | A Data Collector (DC) is responsible for collecting data from meters to determine the amount of electricity supplied so you can be correctly billed. |
DCC | The Data Communications Company (DCC) It is responsible for linking smart meters in homes and small businesses with energy suppliers, network operators and energy service companies. |
DD | Direct Debit (DD): A method of payment where a fixed or variable amount is taken from a bank account each month. |
Distribution network | In England and Wales, the distribution network typically operates at 132kV and below, while in Scotland, it operates below 132kV. It carries electricity from the transmission system and Distributed Generation to industrial, commercial, and domestic users. |
Distribution Network Operator (DNO) | DNOs own, operate, and maintain the distribution networks. They do not sell electricity to consumers, which is done by the electricity suppliers. There are 14 licensed DNOs in Britain. |
Domestic Customer | A customer that uses energy for non – commercial purposes. |
E7 | Economy 7: A type of tariff that has different unit rates for consumption during the day and during the night. The number following Economy refers to the number of hours for which night-time rates are available. |
EAC | Estimated Annual Consumption (EAC): Your EAC is how much, on average, electricity your business uses in kWh per year. This is based on historic data to get an average consumption figure. |
EBDS | Energy Bill Discount Scheme (Replaced EBRS in March 2023) |
EBRS | Energy Bill Relief Scheme (Scheme ran from 01/10/2022 to 31/03/2023) |
ECOES | Electricity Central Online Enquiry Service (ECOES): ECOES is governed by the Metering Point Administration Service Company (MPASCo), who administers a multi-party agreement between all licensed electricity distribution businesses and suppliers in the UK. |
Electricity network | The electricity network includes both the distribution network and the transmission network. |
EPC | Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) tell you how energy efficient a building is. EPCs rate a home from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). |
ET | An Erroneous Transfer (ET) can occur when an energy supply is switched to a new energy supplier without the consent of the bill payer. Usually an ET is the result of a genuine mistake and where they can, suppliers will always work to fix the problem with no discomfort to the customer. |
Fuel Mix Disclosure | A requirement on all electricity suppliers in Great Britain to disclose to their customers the mix of fuels used to generate the electricity supplied annually. |
GT | Gas Transporter (GT): Formerly public gas transporter, a company that owns or operates gas pipelines used to transport gas to customers or the system of another gas transporter. A gas transporter must be licensed under the Gas Act 1986 unless an exemption applies. |
Half-hourly metering | Half-Hourly (HH): A type of metering equipment that measures energy usage in half-hourly intervals, which can influence network charges. |
HHD | Half-Hourly Data |
KWH | Kilo-watt hour: Kilowatt-hour is a unit used to measure energy consumption in both electricity and gas. |
LDZ | Local distribution zone: A LDZ is a portion of the country ‘owned’ by a specific gas transporter to determine the area for which they distribute gas. |
LOA | A letter of authority (LOA) is a document used to declare that a third party can act on the behalf of an energy supplier, within limited terms. |
LPF | Late Payment Fee (See Terms & Conditions for further information regarding your specific contract details) |
MAM | Meter Asset Manager (MAM): A company that’s responsible for the design, installation, commissioning, maintenance, removal and disposal of gas supply meters. MAMs are essentially the gas meter equivalent of an electricity meter operator (MOP). |
MAP | Meter Asset Provider (MAPs): are businesses that finance the installation of smart meters. They typically own and operate the meter assets and rent/lease them to energy suppliers, who are then able to meet installation targets without taking on additional debt. |
Meter | A device measuring the amount of energy passing through a point. |
Metering Point | The point where energy to or from a distribution system is measured, determining liabilities under the Balancing and Settlement Code. |
MHHS | Market Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) is a national initiative aimed to consolidate the way electricity meter data is collected and billed. At present only Half hourly (HH) and Non-Half hourly (NHH) advanced metering is settled using half hourly data, which is ordinarily collected on an automated basis. |
Microbusiness | Your business is classed as a ‘microbusiness’ if it either: -has fewer than 10 employees (or their full-time equivalent) and the yearly turnover, or yearly balance sheet, is not more than €2 million. |
MOP | Meter Operator (MOP): A MOP (Meter Operator)covers the installation, operation and management of HH (Half Hourly) electricity meters. |
MPAD | Metering Point Address Details (MPAD): Information about the physical location of a meter. Also commonly known as the ‘Site Address’. |
MPAN | Meter Point Administration Number: An MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) is the number that identifies your electricity supply. These numbers allow energy companies to identify your home. You’ll find them on your energy bill or you can contact your local network operator to find out. |
MPRN | Meter Point Reference Number: An MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) is the number that identifies your gas supply. These numbers allow energy companies to identify your home. You’ll find them on your energy bill or you can contact your local network operator to find out. |
MSN | Meter Serial Number (MSN): An MSN is a number given to identify an actual meter. Your MSN relates to the physical meter that records your consumption and is connected to the MPRN for gas and MPAN for electricity. |
MTC | Meter Timeswitch Code (MTC): The MTC will indicate how many registers (that is the set of meter dials or reads) that your electricity meter has and the time they operate during the day. |
NC | New Connection (NC): If you are looking to install a new electricity supply for an extension or commercial property this is a new connection. |
NHH | Non-half-hourly (NHH) meters are commonly found in smaller businesses or those with lower electricity demand. Unlike half-hourly meters, NHH meters do not automatically record consumption every half hour. Instead, readings are typically taken manually on a monthly basis. |
Off-peak demand | Refers to times when demands on the network are not at their highest. |
OFGEM | The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for protecting gas and electricity consumers in Great Britain. It is governed by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA) |
OOC | Out of Contract (OOC): Out of contract rates apply when an energy contract between the customer and supplier comes to an end and no new or alternative rate is put in place. When a gas or electricity contract expires, the rates for supply revert to a default charge — otherwise known as the out of contract rate. |
Opening Read | The reading which your account is opened from. |
OSE | Ombudsman Services – Energy: Ombudsman Services: Energy means the Ombudsman Services provided to Energy Suppliers and Energy Network Operators. The Ombudsman’s principal aim is to receive complaints made by complainants in accordance with the Ombudsman’s Terms of Reference and to consider and, where appropriate, investigate such complaints in order to encourage and/or facilitate the terms of their resolution, settlement and/or withdrawal. |
PC | Profile Class (PC): A profile class splits users into different categories based on their electricity consumption and load profile. There are currently 9 different classes in the UK Energy Market that you could be placed in. These consumption patterns monitor patterns in usage to help manage the network and provide better services. |
PDV | Pre-Disconnection Visit (PDV): A pre-disconnection visit is an attempt to reach a successful repayment agreement with the customer before applying for a warrant. |
Peak demand (times, demand) | Refers to times when demands on the network are at their highest. |
PPM | Pre-payment Meter: A method of payment where consumers pay for credit to their account. Their meter deducts credit from the account based on the amount of energy used by the consumer and the rates that apply to the consumer’s tariff. |
Price Cap | A limit on how much suppliers can charge you per unit of gas or electricity. Price cap levels are set by Ofgem based on how much it costs, on average, to get energy to your business. |
Read Dispute | An industry term for when a change of supply reading needs to be adjusted. If a reading isnt provided near the point of a switch, it can be estimated, meaning an adjustment is needed on occasions. |
Revenue Protection | The term “Revenue Protection” is a colloquialism used to refer to the prevention, detection and recovery of losses caused by interference with electricity and gas supplies. |
Rota Disconnection Code | Indicates the ‘Load Block’ or group that your supply is included in as part of the Electricity Supply Emergency Code (ESEC). |
SAR | Shipper Agreed Reads (SARs) are required when an Opening or Closing Meter Reading for a Change of Supplier (CoS) is disputed |
SC | Standing Charge (SC): A fixed daily amount that you pay your electricity/gas supplier for maintenance and other costs, such as using maintaining connection to the energy network. |
SDEP | Secure Data Exchange Portal (SDEP) is a web-based service that enables energy suppliers to securely exchange data. |
SEC | The Smart Energy Code (SEC) defines the rights and obligations of the DCC, energy suppliers, network operators and other relevant parties involved in the end to end management of smart metering in Great Britain. |
Site | Customer or Company premises for which a connection point is made. |
Site Reference | A unique reference that YGP give to every site. |
SLCs | Standard Licence Conditions (SLCs): The legally binding conditions that licensed gas and electricity suppliers must meet to supply to domestic and non-domestic customers, in accordance with the Gas Act (1986) and Electricity Act (1989). |
Smart meter | An electronic device that records electric energy consumption and communicates for monitoring and billing. |
SMETS | Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications (SMETS): SMETS stands for ‘Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications’. There are a number of different types of smart meters, latest versions of these meters are known as SMETS2. |
SOLR | Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR): In the unfortunate event of an energy supplier going out of business, Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, automatically appoints a new supplier, known as a ‘Supplier of Last Resort’ (SoLR). |
SSC | Standard Settlement Configuration (SSC): Each non-half-hourly supply has a four digit code called the Standard Settlement Configuration (SSC), which specifies the number of registers a meter has, and the times that each register is recording electricity usage. |
SSD | A Supply Start Date (SSD) is the date your energy supply is due to be transferred to another energy supplier. |
SVT | Standard Variable Tariff: A standard variable tariff (SVT) is a supply contract with an indefinite length that does not have a fixed-term applying to the terms and conditions. It’s an energy supplier’s basic offer. If a customer does not choose a specific energy plan, for example after their fixed tariff ends, they are moved to an SVT until they choose a new one. |
T&Cs | Terms and Conditions |
Thermal rating | The current-carrying capacity of a cable determined by the heating effect caused by electrical losses. |
TPI | Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs): are companies that can offer advice and products to assist with a range of functions including energy procurement, efficiency and management. They can include switching websites, energy brokers and energy efficiency advice providers who interact with energy consumers. |
Transmission network | The high-voltage circuits transmitting energy from generators to distribution networks. |
UC | Utility Collections (3rd party collection agency) |
UMS | Unmetered Supply (UMS): means a supply of electricity to a particular inventory of equipment in respect of which a Licensed Distribution System Operator (LDSO) has issued an Unmetered Supply Certificate. |
Unit Rate | The monetary amount that is chargeable in respect of each unit of gas/electricity consumed. |
Unmetered Connection | A connection to the electricity network without a metering point, with usage determined via a maintained inventory. |
VAT | Value Added Tax: It is an indirect tax on the consumption of goods and services in the economy. |
Wholesale Cost | This is the amount energy companies pay to buy gas and electricity from the market. They may buy from a wholesale provider, have a contract with an electricity generator, or be part of a company generating its own energy. |
Scotland
SP Power Systems
0845 272 7999
North East
CE Electric (NEDL)
0800 668 877
North West
SP Manweb
0845 272 2424
Yorkshire
CE Electric (YEDL)
0800 375 675
East Midlands
Central Networks
0800 056 8090
East Midlands
Central Networks
0800 056 8090
London
EDF Energy
0800 028 0247
South East
EDF Energy
0800 783 8866
Wales
Western Power Distribution
0800 052 0400
West Midlands
Central Networks
0800 328 1111