Market Readiness

Transition


The RAs are responsible for the Regulatory and Legal requirements of the transition from the current markets to the SEM.  In November 2006, the RAs published their approach to the transition and set out the high level Go/ No Go Criteria for comment.  The final version of the transition approach was published on the 20th March 2007.

Final Approach

Draft Approach

Accession to the Trading and Settlement Code

On 1st May 2007, the Regulatory Authorities published a memo to Market Participants with regard to Accession to the Trading and Settlement Code.

Participant Readiness

One of the factors feeding in to the decision for the SEM to Go Live will be Participant Readiness.  While this is ultimately the responsibility of each participant, it is the responsibility of the RAs to ensure that participants are provided with all the necessary information for their internal readiness activities and to keep apprised of the status of these activities.
In November 2006, the RAs published a Participant Readiness Facilitation Strategy.

Participant Readiness Coordinator (PRC)

The RAs, in conjunction with the System Operators, in early 2007 implemented a Participant Readiness Coordinator (PRC) Function.  The PRC was the primary point of contact for participant queries.  These queries were logged and tracked, to ensure that participants received responses to the queries they consider necessary to ensure their internal programmes were completed in time for the Market Trial (16th July).  The query logs were published on a regular basis with the final log published on November 1st.  The PRC function is now closed.  All queries relating to participaton in the Single Electricity Market should be adressed to the Market Operator Helpdesk (www.allislandmarket.com).  

Market Assurance
The RAs must be satisfied that the SMO Central Systems and the Data Feeds into those systems have been built in compliance with the Trading & Settlement Code,  have been tested, and implemented before making the decision for the market to Go Live.  In addition, the RAs must be satisfied that the MarketTrial conducted by the SMO have been successful and the market is ready for Go Live. 

The RAs have hired an external consultant to provide an independent assessment of the SMO Central Systems.  The SMO will be expected to provide weekly reports on the Market Trial.  

UPDATE 30th October 2007:

Today, the RAs publish the Market Operator and System Operators readiness assurance report and the Certification report on the Unconstrained Unit Committment software.  These reports were part of a suite of inputs that were used to assess market readiness and should not be taken as stand-alone evidence of readiness.