Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement

Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement is a new initiative, backed by Ofgem, set to take effect on 2nd July 2027. It aims to create a more affordable electricity framework, encouraging flexible usage, and helping small businesses save on costs. This system uses smart meters and AMR meters to record electricity usage every half-hour, providing accurate consumption data. 

The roll out of the Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement is phased, which is why we’re starting work now. It allows us to ensure a smooth transition and to begin delivering the benefits of Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement as early as possible. 

Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement is scheduled to complete on 2nd July 2027. 

The roll out of the Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement is phased, which is why we’re starting work now. It allows us to ensure a smooth transition and to begin delivering the benefits of Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement as early as possible.  

Ofgem, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets in the UK, is overseeing the implementation of Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement. 

This initiative is crucial for the UK’s goal of reaching Net Zero by 2050. It supports the transition to a greener electricity system by providing the flexibility needed to manage electricity more effectively, reducing carbon emissions, and fostering a fairer and more environmentally friendly market. 

Smart meters and AMR meters track electricity usage in real-time and send this data to suppliers every half-hour. This allows suppliers to manage electricity needs more accurately, leading to better service delivery, more transparent billing, and the development of innovative, cost-saving products based on time-of-use.

There are many benefits, for all market participants, including:  

• More accurate and transparent billing, improved service delivery for all electricity customers  

• Better daily visibility of usage data, make informed decisions aimed at reducing electricity consumption  

• New innovative products based on time-of-use, offering customers opportunity to reduce costs  

• Enhanced network data, enabling the energy network to better forecast customer supply and demand  

• Advancing the UK’s progress towards sustainability and achieving Net Zero carbon emissions  

This transition can open new ways to save electricity, directly affecting your usage and spending. For businesses with working smart meters and AMR meters, the shift will be seamless, with updates occurring automatically. Businesses without smart meters will need to upgrade to enable half-hourly settlement readings. 

If your business does not have a smart meter or AMR meter, we will contact you to arrange for a site visit to install a smart meter or perform necessary upgrades before March 2026. This ensures that all customers can benefit from the efficiency and precision of half-hourly settlement readings. 

By enabling more accurate electricity usage tracking and fostering flexible usage, Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement helps reduce overall electricity consumption and carbon emissions, contributing significantly to the UK’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2050.  

Suppliers will benefit from enhanced network data, allowing them to better forecast customer supply and demand, improve service delivery, and develop innovative products that encourage electricity efficiency and cost savings. 

Yes. The top line of the MPAN will be changing. The Meter Timeswitch Code (MTC) and Line Loss Factor (LLF) will be removed. These will be replaced with the Standard Settlement Configuration (SSC) and Distribution Use of System (DUoS) Tariff ID.