Code Administrator Working Group - BSC

Chris Rowell (020 7380 4337)28 August 2008

BSC Overview

• Balancing and Settlement

Code (BSC)

• 1 document - 806 pages

• Modification Procedures

(BSC, F)

• 225 Modification

Proposals

• Modification Group >

Panel > Authority

• Code Subsidiary

Documents (CSDs)

• 140 documents ~

7000 pages

• Change Management

(BSCP 40)

• 795 Change

Proposals

• Panel Committee

1. Effective Consultation

• Consult during Definition,

Assessment & Report

(typically 2 weeks)

• Send to ~360 self

subscribed recipients (plus

identified groups)

• Commitment of BSC

Agents to Implementation

Dates

• Limited engagement –

typical number of responses

10

• Limited information on BSC

Party business impacts (e.g.

costs & savings)

• Difficulties couching

arguments in terms of

Applicable BSC Objectives

promote inclusive, accessible and effective consultation

2. Transparent Processes

be governed by rules and processes that are transparent and easily

understood

• Roles defined in Section F of

BSC

• (Web) published timetable with

public meetings & documents

• Easy to launch a proposal

• Bodies meet as independent

experts

• Named contacts for all changes

• Information “comprehensive”

• Risk that with 3 “gates” -

some arguments are held

back

• Misalignment of objectives –

Mods Groups & Panel v

Authority

3. Administration

be administered in an independent and objective fashion

• Struggle to produce

papers “by committee”

• “Critical friend” role v

independence

• ELEXON required to provide

facilities, services & secretariat

• ELEXON additionally provide

chairman, lead analyst, change

drafting (+ operational experts)

• ELEXON primary source of

analysis – reducing Party burden,

delivering a consistent product

4. Quality Analysis

provide rigorous and high quality analysis of the case for an against

proposed changes

• Limited number of

responses

• Limited information on

business impacts (e.g. costs

& savings)

• Difficulties couching

arguments in terms of

Applicable BSC Objectives &

their limited coverage

• Mods Groups work to

Panel ToRs

• Drive towards qualitative,

if not quantative,

arguments

• Increasing sophistication

in framing arguments

around Applicable BSC

Objectives

5. Cost Effective

be cost effective

• Substantial volumes of

published materials –

difficult to assimilate

• Use of ELEXON offices

• Try to contain “meeting miles”

– joint meetings

• Use of ELEXON staff v

consultants

• Batch changes into Releases –

certainty over Implementation

Dates

• Costs published & challenged

6. Flexible

• One size – including for

“Housekeeping Changes”

• Once launched cannot be

terminated

• Aided by commitment of

Proposer & dependent on

Modification Group

members

• Urgent Process

• Timetable can (but is

rarely) varied

contain rules and processes that are sufficiently flexible to circumstances that they

will always allow for efficient change management

7. Proportionate

be delivered in a manner that results in a proportionate regulatory burden

• No rejections due to lack

of adequate analysis

• Some Modifications largely

self evident – require

controls but not Authority

decisions

• Late identified analysis

gaps can only be

addressed by rejection

(rather than

reassessment)