BUSINESS ELECTRICITY / PRACTICAL GUIDE
Understand the meter.
Take control of the cost.
A half-hourly meter does not mean you have to accept an expensive electricity arrangement. Start with what your site needs, what you are being charged and the contract options available to you.
Free initial capacity review. No supplier switch required.
Contract quotes are available separately, with no obligation to accept.
Half-hourly is only
part of the picture.
Understanding these distinctions makes it easier to spot which part of your electricity arrangement is worth reviewing.
Settlement
Half-hourly settlement uses electricity data in 30-minute periods to work out suppliers’ energy positions. It is not a description of the physical size of your supply.
Meter hardware
A whole-current meter measures the current directly. A current-transformer (CT) meter uses transformers to measure it. The appropriate setup depends on the connection and equipment.
Agreed capacity
Authorised Supply Capacity is the capacity reserved for your site, measured in kVA. It can carry a recurring charge. It is different from the energy you consume in kWh.
kW measures real power; kVA measures apparent power. Treating them as interchangeable can lead to the wrong conclusion about a site’s requirements.
Can you downgrade
the meter arrangement?
If your premises now use much less power, a review may be worthwhile. A lower capacity agreement, a different physical meter and a change of settlement arrangement each need their own assessment.
Start with the site.
A CT-to-whole-current change may need work to the metering and supply equipment. The network operator, supplier and meter operator must confirm what is technically suitable, what it would cost and whether the ongoing benefit justifies it.
Do not assume that every case needs a new incoming cable, or that changing the meter removes every network charge. Ask for a written, site-specific proposal.
It is not an automatic approval. The old shorthand of “below 70 kW for 12 months” is not a reliable eligibility test on its own.
Half-hourly settlement
is becoming more widespread.
Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) migration began in October 2025. Elexon’s current timetable schedules completion for 7 May 2027 .
P432 also establishes half-hourly settlement requirements for CT advanced meters. Changing hardware should not be sold as a permanent route out of half-hourly settlement.
Your supplier should confirm the current position for your MPAN. Read Elexon’s current timetable ↗
Change of Measurement Class (CoMC) is an industry classification process. It is not automatically a physical meter replacement or a promise of a cheaper bill.
Ask us to review the supplyWhich charges
are you actually paying?
A low standing charge or unit rate can leave a lot unexplained. Check what is included in the contract and what is billed separately.
Electricity & supplier standing charge
p/kWh · p/dayCompare the unit rates, standing charge, term and pass-through provisions together. Your half-hourly usage pattern may also affect the offers available.
Capacity / availability
Often p/kVA/day or £/kVA/monthThis relates to agreed capacity. If a reduction is appropriate and approved, it can reduce the corresponding capacity cost. Check the actual rate and billing unit.
TNUoS & distribution fixed charges
Band-dependent amounts, often p/dayTransmission and distribution residual charges are separate from the per-kVA capacity charge. The relevant band, network tariff and contract treatment matter. Reducing kVA does not automatically reduce these charges.
Other network & metering costs
Check the schedule and any separate agreementsLook for time-banded distribution charges, excess-capacity or reactive-power charges where applicable, and meter operation or data-service costs. Check what the supplier already includes before adding anything again.
A £1.50 supplier standing charge is £1.50 a day. A separate 10p/kVA/day capacity rate on 100 kVA adds £10 a day. Any separately billed transmission or distribution fixed charges still need to be added. These figures are an illustration, not a tariff quotation.
Ask for the complete cost breakdown before comparing offers. Do not assume that whole-current metering or lower consumption eliminates banded network charges. Network and settlement arrangements are explained in NESO’s TCR guidance and Elexon’s MHHS guidance.
Check the headroom.
Then check the saving.
Compare agreed capacity with demand history and future plans. Seasonality, new machinery, electric heating and EV charging can all change what the site needs.
There is no sensible one-size-fits-all target.
A review may support reducing capacity, keeping it unchanged or increasing it. Cutting too far can create excess-capacity costs and leave insufficient headroom.
A recent bill establishes the starting position. The recommendation needs demand evidence and a discussion about how the premises operate. The Smart Energy Company normally reviews up to 24 months of demand history where available.
Confirm the effective date with your network operator and check the change reaches your supplier’s bills. Surrendered capacity may not be available again without additional work or cost.
Start my free capacity reviewYou can request a capacity review during an existing electricity contract.
What would a reduction mean?
Example inputs only. This calculates the capacity line, not the right capacity for your site.
10 kVA × £0.10 × 365 days
Before VAT. Assumes the same rate for a full year. Excludes other bill charges, service fees and any change costs. No reduction is recommended by this tool.
A manufacturing site
with too much capacity.
We reviewed demand history for a manufacturing business and obtained DNO approval to reduce its authorised capacity from 1,000 to 70 kVA.
The published case study explains the evidence, the decision and the financial calculation.
Read the full manufacturing case study ↗Annualised capacity saving at the rate used in the review.
930 kVA × £0.10 per kVA per day × 365. A specific client result, not a typical saving or a guarantee. Future charges depend on the applicable rate and site circumstances.
A better arrangement
for your business.
The Smart Energy Company helps businesses arrange competitive electricity contracts and deal with the metering, capacity and supplier issues that can sit alongside them.
Review capacity & charges.
Start with a recent electricity bill or your current kVA if known. We can check the supply details and obtain the evidence needed for a fuller review.
- Agreed capacity versus demand history
- Relevant network and metering questions
- Any proposed change explained before you decide
The next page has the capacity health check. No supplier switch is required.
Compare electricity contracts.
Tell us about the premises, your renewal date and any offer you already have. We will compare suitable supplier options and explain the costs and terms.
- Competitive contract options for the supply
- Included and separately billed costs explained
- Capacity or metering concerns considered alongside
Requesting prices creates no energy contract. Our commission is explained before you agree.
Not sure which route fits? Call 0151 459 3388 and tell us what is happening with the supply.
Clear answers
before you start.
Can a whole-current meter still be half-hourly?
Does demand below 70 kW mean I can leave half-hourly settlement?
Will reducing kVA lower my TCR band or TNUoS charge?
Must I change supplier to review capacity?
Can you tell me the correct capacity from one bill?
Can a capacity reduction be backdated?
Do I have to wait until renewal?
Sources & checking dates
Checked 19 October 2026. This guide concerns Great Britain. Industry dates can change, and the appropriate arrangement depends on your supply. No supplier tariff or tax calculation is supplied here.
Current programme milestones: migration began 22 October 2025; all suppliers ready by 28 October 2026; migration completion scheduled for 7 May 2027.
Decision published 15 January 2024, implemented 15 April 2024. CT advanced-meter settlement obligations. Use the current Elexon timetable, not the superseded dates in this decision.
Definitions and the distinction between settlement classification and physical metering. Read alongside P432 and the MHHS transition.
Transmission and distribution residual charges and banding background. This guide does not quote a site-specific network tariff.
Example of a DNO’s application, authority and effective-date requirements. These are not a universal rule for every network.
Metering arrangements involve the network operator, supplier and meter operator. The site-specific design must be confirmed.
Published client evidence: capacity reduced from 1,000 to 70 kVA, with £33,945 annualised at the review rate. Site-specific result, not a typical saving.
