Preparing for DCP228
From April 1st Ofgem are issuing a change to the way Distribution Use of System (DUoS) charges are calculated, and it goes by the name of DCP228. These charges are non-energy charges that appear on your utility bills. This means that if some or all of your sites use Half Hourly meters, you will need to monitor your usage more closely and rethink how and when you use energy to avoid the biggest charges.
The aim of DCP228 is to even out the three-time bands (Green, Amber, and Red) that represent energy demand, so that peak periods and non-peak periods are not quite so polarised. The bad news is that the majority of businesses will see a rise in energy costs, due to the increase in the Green and Amber bands. The good news is that with proper energy monitoring and targeting you can navigate the system in a way which offsets these extra charges.
How we can help
Our Smart Asset Management service will help tidy up your asset register to ensure you are only paying for the meters you are responsible for, and that your data is accurate and up to date. This kind of monitoring will have extra importance as the DCP228 comes into force. Luckily it is not too late to prepare. Here is what we can do to prepare your business:
- Obtain the last 12 months HH data for each supply
- Create a profile for each site to understand the consumption used in the new Red, Amber, and Green periods
- Discuss which sites could load shift outside the Red/Amber/Green periods. This may require us to do a site survey to identify where energy is being used and any business-critical systems which cannot be affected
- Create an action plan to reduce energy consumption during Red/Amber/Green periods and KPI’s accordingly
- Report on load shifting performance
The earlier you can clean up your asset register and adjust to the DCP228 the better, so you aren’t hit with a load of charges which you were not expecting. Don’t leave it too late, be prepared, and the savings will follow.
If you wish to know more about our Smart Asset Management, Energy Monitoring and Targeting, or any other services, send us an email at savings@wwwtest.monarchpartnership.co.uk
If you would like more information on DUoS charges, have a look at this quick guide from Stark.
