SEC Section Overview
What is the Smart Energy Code?
The Smart Energy Code (SEC) is a multiParty Agreement defining the rights and
obligations of energy suppliers, network
operators and other relevant Parties
involved in the end-to-end management of
smart metering in Great Britain.
What is the Structure of the SEC?
The SEC is split into a number of Sections.
Each Section covers certain provisions,
processes and requirements that those involved
in the SEC (including SEC Parties, the Data and
Communications Company (DCC), and the SEC
Panel) are required to follow or carry out.
What is covered in each part of the SEC?
SEC Section
Title
What does it cover?
Section A
Definitions and
Interpretation
All the terms, and the definitions for each, used
throughout the SEC. Also explains how certain words or
phrases should be interpreted for the purpose of the
SEC.
Section B
Accession
Sets out the accession process and requirements in
order for an organisation to become a SEC Party. It also
covers provisions regarding the allocation of Party and
Registration Data Provider (RDP) Signifiers and DCC,
User, and RDP Identifiers.
Section C
Governance
Covers details of how the SEC is governed, including the
SEC Panel, the election of SEC Panel Members, how
SEC Panel Members are elected and the proceedings of
the SEC Panel. Also covers establishment of Panel SubCommittees and the role and function of the SEC Code
Administrator, Secretariat and Panel Costs and Budgets.
Section D
Modification
Processes
Sets out the end-to-end process for the submission,
progression and determination of Modification
Proposals to the SEC and Subsidiary Documents.
Section E
Registration
Data
Sets out the requirements on SEC Parties regarding the
provision of Registration Data and who can use and rely
on the data provided by SEC Parties. It also covers the
requirements around the provision of connections
between the DCC and RDPs.
Section F
Smart Metering
System
Requirements
Sets out the requirements to establish and the
composition of the Technical Sub-Committee. The
requirements associated with the establishment and
maintenance of the Certified Product List and how
disputes are resolved in relation to a device not meeting
SEC requirements. It also details the requirements
around functionality, interoperability and access for the
DCC. It also details the responsibilities and end-to-end
process associated with Communications Hubs.
Section G
Security
It covers the SEC security provisions, including the
establishment of the Security Sub-Committee (SSC),
the SSC roles and responsibilities, the Security
requirements and how the DCC and SEC Parties are
subject to security assessments.
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SEC Section
Title
What does it cover?
Section H
DCC Services
Section H covers the various services and processes
that the DCC is required to provide, including the User
Entry Process, Communications Hub services,
Service Management and Error reporting and Fault
Management processes.
Section I
Data Privacy
Covers the provisions relating to Data Protection and
accessing data. It also covers the process of auditing
SEC Parties to ensure privacy requirements have been
met. Section I also covers the procurement of the
Independent Privacy Auditor to carry out the Privacy
Audits.
Section J
Charges
Sets out the requirements around the review,
forecasting and payment of charges associated with the
SEC and the DCC Services. Section J also covers the
lodging of Credit Cover and the provisions in the event
of a payment dispute or default.
Section K
Charging
Methodology
Sets out the Charging Methodology that the DCC is
required to have in force in accordance with the DCC
Licence. The Charging Methodology provides for Fixed,
Elective and Explicit Charges to the DCC.
Section L
Smart Metering
Key
Infrastructure
Details the provisions covering the Smart Metering Key
Infrastructure (SMKI), which is a Public Key
Infrastructure for the smart metering arrangements. The
purpose of the SMKI is to establish trusted relationships
between devices and organisations. The sections sets
out all aspects of SMKI, including the establishment,
roles and responsibilities of the Policy Management
Authority Sub-Committee.
Section M
General
Covers the general provisions within the Code, ranging
from the commencement and duration of the SEC,
Confidentiality, Intellectual Property Rights,
Limitations of Liability, Dispute Resolution and the
Suspension, Expulsion and Withdrawal provisions for
SEC Parties.
Section N
SMETS1 Meters
The SEC has been written from the basis that Smart
Meters will comply with SMETS2. Section N covers the
process by which SMETS1 Meters could be enrolled
into the DCC systems, subject to a feasibility study and
consultation.
Section T
Testing During
Transition
Sets out the Testing Requirements and provisions
associated each of the Testing phases during
Transition, which consist of System Integration
Testing (SIT), Interface Testing (IT), End-to-End
Testing, SMKI and Repository Testing (SRT).
Section X
Transition
Sets out the exceptions that apply to the SEC during the
Transition phase of the Smart Metering Implementation
Programme. It also provides details of which sections
are in effect and any temporary process or requirements
that apply during Transition.
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SEC
Schedules
Title
What does it cover?
Schedule 1
Framework
Agreement
Sets out the Framework Agreement covering the initial
establishment of the SEC and the Smart Energy Code
Company (SECCo).
Schedule 2
Accession
Agreement
Specimen Bilateral
Agreement
Contains the structure of the Accession Agreement for
new parties acceding to the SEC.
Contains the structure of the content of a Bilateral
Agreement between two Parties that are sharing
services provided by the DCC.
Details the provisions and regulations governing the
establishment of the Smart Energy Code Company
(SECCo).
Lists the information required when an organisation
accedes to the SEC.
Provides an example format of a Letter of Credit that
can be lodged in support of Credit Cover
requirements.
Contains the structure and the content of an Enabling
Services Agreement between a Participant and the
DCC.
Schedule 3
Schedule 4
SECCo
Schedule 5
Accession
Information
Specimen Form of
Letter of Credit
Schedule 6
Schedule 7
Specimen Enabling
Services
Agreement
SEC
Title
Appendices
What does it cover?
Appendix A
Device Certification
Policy
Appendix B
Organisation
Certificate Policy
Appendix C
SMKI Compliance
Policy
Appendix D
SMKI Registration
Authority Policies
and Procedures
Appendix E
(currently
intentionally
blank)
Appendix F
DCC User
Gateway Service
Schedule
Supports the requirements in Section L, and sets out
the arrangements relating to Device Certificates and
Device Certificate Authority (DCA) Certificates.
Supports the requirements in Section L, and sets out
the arrangements relating to Organisation
Certificates and Organisation Certificate Authority
(OCA) Certificates.
Supports the requirements in Section L, and sets out
the requirements around procuring and then
submitting the SMKI Services to be assessed by an
independent assurance service provider. It also sets
out the requirements for the first assurance
assessment of the SMKI Service and the provision of
data to Parties relating to the initial assessment.
Supports the Requirements in Section L. The SMKI
RAPP sets out the policies and procedures for gaining
access to SMKI Services and the SMKI Repository
Services.
Supports the requirements in Section H. It sets out the
list of services available over the DCC Interface.
Appendix G
Appendix H
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Minimum
Communication
Services for
SMETS1 Meters
DCC Gateway
Connection Code
of Connection
CH Handover
Support Materials
Supports the requirements in Section N. It sets out the
minimum services that must be provided to SMETS1
Meters if they are enrolled into the DCC Systems.
Supports the requirements in Section H15 by
providing supplementary provisions on DCC Gateway
Connections.
Provides supplementary provisions in relation to
Communications Hub Handover including
forecasting, ordering and delivery.
SEC
Title
Appendices
What does it cover?
Appendix J
Enduring Testing
Approach
Document
Appendix K
SMKI and
Repository Test
Scenarios
Document
The Enduring Testing Approach Document (ETAD)
defines the security requirements for Testing
Participants systems, details the Test Certificate
provisions process and sets out the obligations on
Testing Participants using remote CSP test labs. A
future update is expected to the ETAD, updating it to
align with its requirements provided in SEC Section
T6.4.
Supports requirements in Section T of the SEC to
support the operations of SMKI and Repository
Entry Process Tests in accordance with Section L7.
Appendix L
SMKI Recovery
Procedure
Appendix M
SMKI Interface
Design
Specification
Appendix N
SMKI Code of
Connection
Appendix O
SMKI Repository
Interface Design
Specification
Appendix P
SMKI Repository
Code of
Connection
Appendix Q
IKI Certificate
Policy
Appendix R
Common Test
Scenarios
Document
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The SMKI Recovery Procedure sets out the
notification and resolution process in relation to any
incident where a Relevant Private Key is
Compromised (or suspected of being Compromised).
The SMKI Interface Design Specification specifies the
technical details of the SMKI Service Interface. It
includes the protocols and technical standards that
apply to the SMKI Service Interface, which are based
on open standards as laid out in SEC Section L. The
SMKI Interfaces, as defined in this document, will be
provided for both SMKI Services and Test SMKI
Services.
The SMKI Code of Connection sets out the provisions
that apply to each Authorised Subscriber seeking to
access the SMKI Services, the procedure for an
Authorised Subscriber and the DCC to communicate
over the SMKI Service Interface, and how mutual
authentication and protection of communications over
the SMKI Service Interface will operate.
The SMKI Repository Interface Design Specification
describes the functionality of the SMKI Repository
Interface as set out in SEC Section L, in order to:
(a) specify the technical details of the SMKI
Repository Interface; and
(b) set out the protocols and technical standards that
apply to the SMKI Repository Interface.
The SMKI Repository Code of Connection sets out the
provisions that apply to each SEC Party, RDPs, the
SEC Panel and the SMKI PMA in order to access the
SMKI Repository and communicate over the SMKI
Repository Interface.
The Infrastructure Key Infrastructure (IKI) Certificate
Policy sets out the arrangements relating to IKI
Certificates and the IKI Certificate Authority (ICA)
Certificates.
The Common Test Scenarios Document defines the
procedural steps that a SEC Party needs to follow in
order to complete User Entry Process Tests (UEPT)
and meet their SEC obligations. It sets out the
Common Test Scenarios that must be conducted by a
SEC Party for the role they want to do. It also
describes the roles and responsibilities for the conduct
of UEPT.
SEC
Title
Appendices
What does it cover?
Appendix S
DCCKI Certificate
Policy
This Policy sets out the arrangements relating to the
Root DCCKICA Certificate; EII DCCKICA
Certificates; UI DCCKICA Certificates; DCCKI
Infrastructure Certificates; and Personnel
Authentication Certificates, together referred to as the
“DCCKI Certificates”.
Appendix W
DCCKI Registration
Authority Policies
and Procedures
(DCCKI RAPP)
This DCC Key Infrastructure Registration Authority
Policies and Procedures (DCCKI RAPP) sets out the
activities undertaken by the DCC as the DCCKI
Registration Authority in accordance with Section L of
the Code, and DCCKI Certificate Policy.
How often is the SEC Updated?
During the Transition period, revisions to the SEC sit with the Department of Energy and Climate
Change (DECC) as part of the Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP).
While the SMIP continues, DECC continues to consult on further revisions and additions to the
SEC and the supporting documentation which will be designated as SEC Subsidiary Documents
and will form part of the SEC in the future. Further information on this process can be found in the
New Content Guidance.
This means that the SEC is likely to go through a few more DECC designated iterations before it
is complete from DECC’s perspective.
Since February 2016, the SEC can also be amended by Industry with any proposed revisions to
be considered through the Modification Process.
Do you need more detail on each
SEC Section?
Where can I find the complete SEC or a
specific SEC Section?
In addition to this SEC Section overview you
can find further guidance covering different
areas of the SEC on the SEC Website here.
You can find a complete and collated version of
the SEC or specific SEC sections on the SEC
website here.
Disclaimer
Contact Us:
These guides are intended to provide a simple
overview of the SEC and any supporting or
related arrangements and do not replace or
supersede the SEC or these related
arrangements in any way. The author does not
accept any liability for error, omission or
inconsistency with the SEC.
For all enquires or further advice, please
contact SECAS at:
June 2016
Version Number: 1.6
W: smartenergycodecompany.co.uk
T: 020 7090 7755
E: secas@gemserv.com