MOP Contracts

When it comes to mop contracts many customers are unaware of required legislation such as the statutory requirement that sites with a maximum demand in excess of 100kW should have half-hourly metering installed as standard, and are unsure of who to contact.

The process of managing the relationship between the Supplier, Meter Operator and Local Distributor is often a minefield, and is an area where many customers choose to outsource. It is standard practice to lease a half hourly meter from a meter operator as its then there responsibility to maintain an effective on-going service and ensure effective data delivery of your energy consumption.

As such if the meters fails under your agreement it is the responsablity of the meter provide to either repair or replace the meter.

If you don’t have a valid agreement in place with a 3rd party provider any MOP and dc contracts related charges will be passed through on your monthly supply bill from your energy provider.

As such these charges will be at a premium when compared to contracting directly with a provider. In addition to this without a valid agreement in place you can often run into a problem when trying to move to a new provider.

A MOP Agreement is separate to an energy supply contract, which typically covers the rates you pay for day to day consumption.

The industry standard for a MOP agreement is 5-years but some provider will provide a contract with various durations from 12-months.But as the meter is provided as a lease rental solution, then the longer the contract the cheaper it will be as the capital cost of the meter can be spread over 60-months.

Agreements are paid annually in advance, so you will receive a new invoice at the start of each year.

A Meter Operator is the company that will go to site and fit your meter and then provide on-going meter maintenance. If your meter is going to be non-half hourly meter (NHH) your supplier will allocate the local meter operator to install metering at your site.

If you require a half-hourly electricity meter (HH) to be fitted, you will need to choose a meter operator to attend your site to fit the meter. You must arrange a contract (known as a Meter Operator Agreement) with your chosen meter operator in order for this work to go ahead.

A metering agreement is usually based on a five year agreement and costs around £250 – £600 per annum depending on the type of half hourly supply. This is always a stand alone agreement and is independent on any separate electricity supply agreement, as such you will be invoiced directly from your meter operator for any associated service charges.

If you fail to appoint a 3rd party meter operator then your supplier may appoint one for you, usually their preferred supplier. Any additional cost is normally passed through on your supply contract, however over the last few years suppliers prefer customers to appoint their own direct meter supplier as this avoids any conflicts of interest.

Sites with a maximum demand of over 100kW are required to have metering installed that is capable of measuring consumption in half hourly periods. The meters are read remotely via a telecommunications link.

This type of metering is governed by an industry Codes of Practice; Code 3 for sites with a maximum demand exceeding 1MW, and Code 5 for sites with a maximum demand over 100kW. Please contact us to discuss any half hour mop contract requirements that you may have.

Choose Catalyst to assist in the quoting for your metering solution, implementation and tracking of your meter operator contract to remove the hassle and inconvenience of trying to coordinate different service providers on this complex project.

We only work with approved high quality meter operators and we’ll also provide you with your own high quality data management service. We sit between all suppliers and agents ensuring that we can move quickly to instigate your required service.

We also take care and arrange for delivery of all of the meter technical information required by agents and suppliers.

We make the process as simple as possible as will we post out a formal agreement with accompanying terms and conditions for your review. Upon signature and return of your  agreement we will arrange the process of this agreement and liaise direct with your supplier to coordinate the appointment of your new contract.

The opportunity for consumers to nominate their own Data Collector/Data Aggregator (DC/DA) has existed since 1998. Many customers have still not taken advantage of this, leaving their chosen supplier to appoint their own preferred provider.

There are significant advantages to nominating your own DC/DA, including enhanced data, provision often at little or no extra cost. Please contact us to discuss any half hour mop contract requirements that you may have.

The installation of half hourly metering on sites below 100kW is optional. For sites with a maximum demand over 100kW, half hourly metering is not only mandatory, it is a prerequisite in electricity supply agreements.

In order to install half-hourly metering an accredited Meter Operator must be appointed. Energy suppliers will appoint a meter operator on your behalf unless you nominate and appoint your own.

Request a call back from our team today, and we will explain how the market works and arrange a MOP agreement quote for your requirements.

What is a mop contract?

A MOP or Meter Operator agreement is a mandatory requirement for all half hourly electricity supplied meters. This contract covers the supply of the actual meter along with the supporting maintenance and the necessary communications link for sending your half hourly consumption data to your energy supplier.

How do I find out who my meter operator is?

You can start by asking your current electricity supplier as they should retain a record of whom this is. Or as MOP contracts are typically invoiced annually have a look to see if you have a recent invoice for utilities that may not be your current energy provider.

Do I have to have a half hourly meter operator contract?

The simple answer is yes you do if you have a confirmed half hourly electricity meter. A mop agreement or meter operator contract is required by a business to support the ongoing maintenance of the electricity meter. In the event that the meter fails it is the responsibility of the meter operator to either fix or repair the meter, not the responsibility of the utility supplier.

How much should a meter operator agreement or meter operations contract cost?

A meter operator agreement costs from £250.00 to £500.00 per annum depending on factors such as the meter operator and the type of meter. There will usually be a separate charge for the communications link which varies from area to area.

How do I get a new MOP contract or Meter Operator Agreement set-up?

Once you have chosen your meter operator, you will need to call them and arrange a contract – they will supply you with all of the necessary paperwork. The contract will include payment for the meter to be fitted as well as an annual payment for the maintenance of that meter. The MOP agreement will not organise a meter installation date. You will need to liaise with your supplier in order to get a meter installation date after you have set-up a MOP Agreement. Without this MOP Agreement in place, the meter installation date cannot be arranged.

Can you arrange a Meter Operator Agreement for me?

Yes, we are able to assist in all aspects related to metering and Meter Operator Agreements.

Does a MOP agreement include the collection and delivery of my supply data?

Although you are free to select different companies for your Meter Operations and Data Collection many companies combine this solution to eliminate problems within the supply chain.