Serial Numbering Of Smart Type Electricity Meters From January 2013

Transcription

1 Technical Recommendation M2 Version 1.3 Serial Numbering Of Smart Type Electricity Meters From January 2013 Version Status Date of Issue Reason for change Number 1.0 Superseded September 2012 Issued 1.1 Superseded August 2014 Addition of barcode requirement to section Superseded July 2015 Addition of Kaifa Technology UK to section 3 manufacturer codes 1.3 Issued Addition of Holley and inclusion of Honeywell alongside Elster (ABB) in section 3 manufacturer codes - 1 -

2 1. SCOPE This Recommendation applies to smart type electricity meters procured in the UK as from 1st Jan Such meters will be approved as conforming with the requirements of the Measuring Instruments Directive, as indicated in SI 2006 No , and will be so-called smart meters. It is intended (i) (ii) for the guidance of parties responsible for specifying the serial numbers of meters which they procure, to ensure so far a possible that each meter installed has a unique number; to assist parties in the identification of certain meter characteristics, particularly the original procurer (for instance to aid tracing of MID conformity records). This document complements Technical Recommendation M1 which remains available for conventional meters and endures for Key Operated prepayment meters operating under the Telexus system. 2. BASIC NUMBERING SYSTEM A meter serial number shall be built up of parts in the following order a) Two figures to indicate the year of manufacture b) A code letter signifying the manufacturer c) A serial number sequence of seven digits, beginning with for each year for each manufacturer An example may be thus: 13K The allocated code letters are given in Section 3. The letters and numbers shall be indelibly marked. In addition to the printed text, the serial number shall also be presented as a barcode. This should be located adjacent to the text version, be of 1D form and conform with Code 128. The sequence of serial numbers shall be allocated by the manufacturer. Where manufacturers wish to continue their own serial number systems in addition, this shall be placed inconspicuously or on interior parts of the meter. 1 The Measuring Instruments (Active Electrical Energy Meters) Regulations

3 3. MANUFACTURER CODES Company CEWE EDMI Siemens Metering Ltd (also FML/Ferranti) EM-Lite Ltd Horstmann Timers and Controls Iskraemeco (UK) Kaifa Technology UK Ltd Elster (ABB)/Honeywell Landis + Gyr (Ampy) General Electric Secure Ltd (Polymeters Response International Ltd) Sagem Itron (Schlumberger/Actaris) Holley ID C E F G H I J K L M P R S Y Remaining IDs (letters not listed in the above table) as at 1st January 2013, are available for issue by the UK Metering Forum Secretary (Gemserv Ltd). 4. USE OF THE IDENTIFICATION CODES In the MRA Data Transfer Catalogue, data item J0004 is specified as having format CHAR(10) but there are no specifications as to the format of the data item. This recommendation provides a format which ensures that serial numbers are unique. 5. MANUFACTURER REQUIREMENTS Meter manufacturers have a crucial role in ensuring the correct operation of this numbering system, with three enduring obligations: d) Manufacturers shall guarantee that no serial number using their code will be duplicated e) Manufacturers shall retain a record of the party to which a serial number range was first sold. f) Manufacturers shall retain metrology/conformity records for their meters Records for (b) and (c) should be maintained for no less than the time for which the product remains a Relevant Instrument (as per SI 1679); to ensure long term availability, ESCROW arrangements may be required

4 6. MAINTENANCE OF THIS DOCUMENT This document will be maintained by the UK Metering Forum through its Secretariat provided by Gemserv Ltd. Applications for the allocation of new codes or requests for changes to existing codes should be made in writing to Gemserv Ltd 8 Fenchurch Place London EC3M 4AJ ukmf@gemserv.com Phone

5 Appendix 1 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THIS RECOMMENDATION A2.1 Background With a view to achieving a greater degree of standardisation for serial numbering of meters within the Electricity Industry, Engineering Recommendation M10 was issued by the Electricity Council in This made various recommendations concerning The information which could be incorporated in a meter serial number The symbols which could be used to denote the information The method of presenting the information in one composite number Not all Area Electricity Boards (the owners and providers of meters at that time) implemented the proposals of the Recommendation, apart from the fact that Boards had different computer systems, not all of which were capable of accepting one common code. Modified coding systems were therefore used albeit that the one proposed in the Recommendation was accepted by the majority. Subsequently revisions of the Recommendation were undertaken whenever necessary to bring information up to date to reflect such things as changes of manufacturer and owners. The last such revision ER M10/4 - was in 1991 to reflect changes in the structure of the Electricity Industry resulting from the Electricity Act 1989, arising from which the document was taken over by the Electricity Association, to be maintained by the (then) EA Metering Forum as Technical Recommendation M1. With the disbandment of the EA in late 2003, the document was adopted by the newly formed UK Metering Forum. Since that date there have been further changes in its structure to reflect changes as regards meter manufacturers, owners and agents in the competitive Electricity Market and the associated competitive Metering Market. However, due to an increase in the number of MAPs over recent years a weakness became exposed in M1 in that only a very limited number of MAP ID characters now remain for allocation, together with a numerical limitation on the annual meter purchases that can be accommodated. Conscious of the potentially large influx of new MAPs created by the anticipated introduction of Smart Metering, together with the probability of greatly increased purchase and fit rates, the UKMF decided to review potential future serial numbering requirements for electricity meters, updating or revising M1 as necessary; accordingly, UKMF has discussed the future of TR M1 at length over recent months. In the process, UKMF identified that the existing system is utilized in a wide variety of ways by users, for purposes somewhat beyond the basic requirement for serial numbering. It went on to examine the ultimate need for these variations, before looking at potential future options to address the issues created by the introduction of Smart metering. These options ranged from relatively minor changes to the existing system through to a wholesale new system. Finally one new system was chosen and proposed (as in the body of this Recommendation). This was agreed following extensive consultation with all affected parties

6 A2.2 Legal Requirements Historically there were no legal requirements to mark a meter with a serial number. However, product standards against which meters are type approved under the direction of the UK s Legal Metrology Authority - currently the National Measurement Office in the case of electricity meters - require certain markings which include a serial number [format not specified] and year of manufacture. The Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) came into force in October 2006 and was implemented through the UK legislation previously referenced. Essential Requirement 9.1 of Annex 1 to the MID requires a meter to be inscribed with certain information which includes the manufacturer s mark or name and an identity marking [type or format not specified]. Marking to this Recommendation is deemed to comply with these requirements. A2.3 Commercial Requirements Prior to the introduction of arrangements for competition in the supply of electricity in 1988, provision of meters for customers taking below 100 kw was a franchise of the Public Electricity Supplier (PES) licensed for a particular geographic area. Each PES had its metering operation and its own system of serial numbers to identify meters, most using the ER M10/4 or its principles. In this scenario the chances of two meters having the same serial number were effectively non-existent. In 2000 the PESs were split into Supplier and Distribution Network Operator (DNO). In the main PES meter assets were transferred to the respective DNO although one PES sold its metering operation with its assets. Suppliers are now free to contract with a metering service provider other than the incumbent ex-pes franchisee which means that, in any geographic area, there may be several owners of meters. In this scenario it is important to ensure that meter serial numbers allocated are unique and no two meters have an identical reference. Trading in the competitive market involves a unique number relating to each supply point the Meter Point Administration Number associated with standardised message exchanges through a Data Transfer Network. These include provision for a data item J0004 for a meter serial number of 10 characters, the format of which is not specified (see previous reference to the MRA and WP76). During work through Elexon to produce a Code of Practice 9 for metering of small scale embedded generation, there was discussion about specifying the format of such a serial number to increase the information contained in it, particularly as it was known that there had been relevant work by European groups considering possibilities of pan-european electricity trading to standardise on a meter reference system across Europe which would have up to 16 characters. In the event the European work was not universally adopted and the Elexon Code did not specify any enhanced format