Qualification Approach and Plan

The Qualification Approach and Plan (QA&P) applies to all participants that are required to complete MHHS Qualification, whether they plan to undertake testing through the Systems Integration Testing (SIT) or Qualification Testing (QT) route.

The QA&P sets out the purpose of MHHS Qualification during the MHHS Programme and the high-level plan and requirements for Programme participants to undertake in relation to the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) and Retail Energy Code (REC).

The QA&P is supported by four Annexes:

1. Annex 1: Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operator (LDSO) MHHS Qualification Testing Approach - this Annex was issued with the QA&P consultation in January 2024 and approved in May 2024. A Non-Functional and Operational update to Annex 1 was issued in July 2024 for consultation.  
2. Annex 2: Non-SIT Supplier & Agent MHHS Qualification Testing Approach - a Non-Functional and Operational update to Annex 2 was issued in July 2024 for consultation.  
3. Annex 3: New Entrant Non-SIT LDSO MHHS Qualification Testing Approach - this document will be drafted after Annexes 1 and 2 are baselined to ensure alignment. The first draft is expected to be issued for consultation in January 2025.
4. Annex 4: Non-Completion of Qualification - this Annex was issued with the QA&P consultation in January 2024 and approved in May 2024.

Qualification Approach & Plan (v3.2), Annexes 1 & 2 (v2.2)

The Programme and Code Bodies have further updated the QA&P, Annex 1 and Annex 2.

In general, changes have been made to ensure that the artefacts reflect updated delivery timelines following Ofgem's approval of CR055: Amendments to M10 and Corresponding Milestones, as well as the role of the Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager in assuring Non-Functional Testing Requirements.

The industry consultation for the updated QA&P artefacts closed on Friday 20 December 2024. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

The Programme and Code Bodies have reviewed and responded to all comments, and you can view a Consolidated Comments Log in the Qualification Approach & Plan library below.

The artefacts have been updated, where required, to reflect consultation comments and you can also viewed these in the library below. Please note that updates following the consultation have been red-lined and highlighted for ease.

The Programme and Code Bodies will provide an update at the Qualification Working Group (QWG) on 21 January 2025. Following this, the updated artefacts will be tabled for approval at the Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Board (PAB) on 28 January 2025 before going to the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) and Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) PAB on 30 January 2025.

Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 4

The MHHS Programme and Code Bodies published the Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P) Annex 4: Non-Completion of Qualification for industry consultation. This document sets out the market sanction process under the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) if a current Programme participant fails to complete MHHS Qualification in line with the MHHS Programme Plan. This document is applicable to all participants no matter their qualification route. 

The consultation closed on 14 February 2024. Thank you to all participants who submitted comments or confirmed review of the QA&P and Annexes.

You can view the QA&P Annex 4 document and the Qualification Approach & Plan Annex 4 Consolidated Comments Log in the Annex 4 library below.

This document was approved at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG), BSC and Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Boards (PABs) in March 2024.

If you have any questions about the QA&P, QA&P Annex 4 or general QA&P and Non-SIT Supplier and Agent queries, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk and qualification@recmanager.co.uk  

If you have any questions on QA&P Annex 1, please email the MHHS Programme at LDSO_QT@MHHSprogramme.co.uk