missing meter technical details

[Deleted User]

The industry comprises a number of parties and processes that provide you with a metered energy supply. All properties have a MPAN for electricity and MPRN for gas (if applicable). There are two National databases that hold this information along with the meter serial numbers allocated to the MPAN and MPAN. I suggest that you call the two bodies responsible for managing the databases and check that they hold the correct information. The MPAN and MPRN should be stated on your statements. If the information is wrong, then your present supplier needs to take action to update it.

coffeehound

Presumably the DNO should have oversight of these details and may well help.  They were very helpful when I had metering issues.

Enter your postcode in the page linked below to find who your DNO is

https://www.energynetworks.org/operating-the-networks/whos-my-network-operator

Energyinsider

Long story short, your issue will need to be escalated to a suppliers back office operations team.

MTD’s or meter technical details include details such as the meter serial number, number of digits, for gas type m3 or 100’s of ft. For elec all meter readings are validated by a dc, selected by your supplier and they can’t validate reads without knowing your meter technical details. 

For elec this should be passed between suppliers DC’s by data flow. 

The reason none of the suppliers have sorted it is because the chain broke when the first suppliers DC didn’t pass it on. Often these issues can pop up around meter exchanges.

It’s a pretty complex process to create the MTD’s from scratch and needs a combination of MOP meter operator - company responsible for the meter and DC data collector.

Every supplier works with a DC and a MOP and these are generally separate organisations, and the old and new suppliers DC and MOP pass information via data flows.

I can’t remember the combination of flows that normally make up the MTD’s, something like a d0155, but your supplier will need to register the meter with their MOP and DC and use some dummy data if they’re not able to get that from a previous supplier.

With all the switching you’ve done it’s unlikely this will get passed along the chain though that’s where the delay will be as each suppliers dc is chasing the previous for the details that none of them seem to hold 

Energyinsider

Ecoes the electricity national database and Xoserve the gas national database won’t be of any help.

Nor will you DNO. If you want it sorted it’s likely you’ll need to raise a complaint as it’s a complex issue to solve so will need to get escalated to the correct team.

If you’re interested in how this info all switches hands between suppliers which is via data flow. (Energy industry is seriously old school) 

Google “mrasco” have a breakdown of the elec data flows and the info they contain. 

SPOWER

@ energyinsider, many thanks for this. I kept switching because the supplier wouldn't give me a bill o  let me enter a meter reading.  I called scottishpower as I am in their region, not customer service but the powercut number and he said he can see my meter and he was unsure what to suggest.  What I know is that "indusry" is not the electric company in your area.

Carrot007

The correct procedure for missing techinical details is for the supplier raiase a site vist, get teh details of what meter you have on site, then add them to the database themselves.

This is typically done by adding the meter on the date of the site visit.

This is the appropriate action unelss they are blaming a previous supplier. Your switching makes things worse. Do not switch before it is sorted out.

This is not a complex issue and faily commonplace. Maybe in the under a percent, but it occurs and and supplier has to deal with it per the terms they signed up to to become a supplier.

Or course it is not a standard activity and would require you to be in contact with someone capable of doing this. That is usally the only problem. People would rather close a problem than send it on as they may be judged on that.

Phones4Chris

SPOWER said:

@ energyinsider, many thanks for this. I kept switching because the supplier wouldn't give me a bill o  let me enter a meter reading.  I called scottishpower as I am in their region, not customer service but the powercut number and he said he can see my meter and he was unsure what to suggest.  What I know is that "indusry" is not the electric company in your area.

I assume from the way the OP is phrased etc., we are talking about an electricity meter, not gas? So the meter details are recorded on the DNO's database, so it seems to me that to say the DNO can't help is not correct. They may not be able to fix the issue but at least it's a starting point if the details are correctly recorded.
@SPOWER did you check the details for your address are recorded correctly, ie. the meter serial number matches the meter you have? Did you ask the DNO who is currently showing as your supplier?

Energyinsider

Completely understand why you would switch, just giving context, and the industry will refer to the suppliers DC.

And missing meter technical details doesn’t mean the meter isn’t registered on Ecoes the electricity National database correctly.

It just means that the previous DC hasn’t forwarded the meter details on to the current DC. 

What Carrot007 has suggested might work, though I think that relates more to updating Ecoes if the details were missing there or incorrect. 

The supplier can also contact their DC directly and send photos so that the DC can generate the required data flows. 

The next issue after missing meter technical details will be missing opening meter readings.

Again these are provided by the DC, who are responsible for estimating the validated switch read both suppliers use. 

They use the MTD’s they hold along with the meter read history of the meter to do this.

In most cases it’s fairly simple for DC’s to chase MTD’s from the previous DC and juju at takes time. In your case I doubt that process will work which is why I think it will be more complicated.

The DC will need to generate the MTD’s themselves and not sure what they do about the meter read history if they don’t receive that. So my experience is that it’s one of the tougher issues to fix. Other suppliers may have the process more streamlined though.