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Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS)

New regulations are coming

Preparing your business for a smarter, more responsive energy market with MHHS.

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What is MHHS ?

Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) is a mandatory industry reform that will settle electricity consumption data every half hour.
This change improves accuracy, reduces costs, and enables smarter energy use.

Government Objectives of MHHS

MHHS supports the government’s goal to modernise the electricity settlement process by replacing outdated, estimated data with accurate, real-time insights. Generators will gain a clearer picture of actual end-user consumption, enabling them to better match generation to demand throughout the day – reducing waste, improving efficiency, and helping to lower the sector’s carbon footprint.

  • Meet Net-Zero and sustainability goal by 2050
  • Ensuring Suppliers provide accurate Settlement for their customers
  • Driving how consumers use energy based upon accurate data
  • Ofgem are projecting a £1.5bn – £4.5bn net benefit to consumers by 2045

Note: MHHS will only occur for electricity meters, and not for gas or water meters.

How Will MHHS Benefit Me?

Competitive Pricing

HH data helps suppliers provide more competitive pricing, leading to future savings.

Usage Visibility

HH data shows how your energy is used throughout the day, supporting audits and energy-saving schemes..

Accurate Billing

HH data avoids delays and estimates in NHH metering, giving more reliable and accurate bills.

Bill Validation

HH data allows robust checks by comparing consumption with supplier bills to ensure accuracy.

Can I opt out?

No — all electricity meters are being moved to Half-Hourly configuration as part of the industry-wide programme. This Elexon-led initiative applies to all businesses and domestic sites, so opting out isn’t possible.

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How to Prepare for MHHS

AMR Meter Requirements

All traditional Non-Half-Hourly (NHH) meters must be replaced with either an AMR or SMART meter to enable accurate Half-Hourly (HH) data capture in line with MHHS requirements.

Health Checks

If you already have SMART or AMR meters installed across your portfolio, they will require regular health checks to ensure accurate data transmission and compliance with MHHS.

Metering Partnerships

All Half-Hourly (HH) meters require a Metering Data Provider agreement to ensure accurate data collection and billing. Without one, responsibility falls to the supplier, often leading to higher costs. Securing a provider now guarantees accurate data management and prevents unexpected charges.

Agreement Planning

Securing agreements with metering service providers now could lead to long-term savings. As demand increases, these agreements are expected to become more expensive in the future. Early action may help mitigate potential cost increases.

Key Changes Under MHHS

Rebilling will become far less frequent under MHHS, thanks to the use of accurate, half-hourly consumption data. In addition, all meters will now be required to have a valid metering agreement in place with a third-party agent. Where no agreement exists, suppliers will appoint one on an out-of-contract basis, potentially at a higher cost to the customer.

  • NHH & HH categories will be replaced with SMART or AMR meter classifications
  • Quarterly billing will be replaced with monthly billing
  • Meter Operators (MOPs) will be rebranded as Metering Service Providers
  • Data Collectors (DCs) will be renamed as Data Services
  • Data Aggregators (DAs) will be replaced by the Market-Wide Data Service (MDS)

AMR VS SMART

Automated Meter Reading

Backed by 20 years of proven technology

Data accessibility

Your potential meter partner retrieves direct from meter

Meter Type

All meters capable of install

Communication

Different methods ready, 4G applicable

Industry History

Approximately 18 years since AMR introduced

Operability between suppliers

Fully operable between suppliers and Data collectors

Smart Metering Equipment

Trusted by UK Suppliers for over 10 years

Data accessibility

Non appointed DCC(Data Communications Company) handles all data

Meter Type

CT meters/Multi-Metered MPAN’s ineligible

Communication

2G only

Industry history

10 years since first SMETS introduced

Operability between suppliers

History of issues of retrieving opening reads from new supplier

Please take note:

If you have a traditional (or ‘dumb’) meter, we recommend upgrading to an AMR meter for better accuracy and reliability.
If you already have a smart meter (SMETS1 or SMETS2), there’s nothing you need to do — the DCC is making sure it will work smoothly with the new MHHS system when it goes live.

What is a Metering Agreement?

A metering agreement gives you control over who manages your meter and supplies consumption data to your electricity supplier for billing purposes. These agreements are independent from your supply contract and do not affect your supply renewal, which EIC continues to manage on your behalf. Without a metering agreement in place, your supplier will appoint a default metering agent on a deemed basis which can lead to higher metering charges and limited service. Deemed agents are not obligated to provide you with portal access or Half-Hourly (HH) data, making it harder to track usage or comply with reporting requirements. By contrast, if you have a metering agreement:

  • Your metering costs are fixed and typically lower.
  • You are granted access to HH data and a secure online portal.
  • Your metering provider is contractually obliged to prioritise your service requests.

As energy legislation evolves and mandatory sustainability reporting becomes more widespread, access to accurate Half-Hourly data is increasingly critical. It empowers you to track performance, meet compliance targets, and drive decarbonisation. Metering agreements are typically set for 5 years, but shorter terms are available. They are also supplier-agnostic, so if you switch suppliers, your appointed metering provider can continue service without disruption. It’s not currently mandatory to have a metering agreement for non-half-hourly (NHH) supplies—but once those meters are reconfigured to HH under MHHS, a metering agreement will be required. Without one, you risk defaulting to more expensive, less transparent deemed metering. Get in touch with us today to request a metering agreement quote or learn more about how we can support your transition to HH.

We will be hosting a Webinar to share experience and knowledge on how to manage your portfolio whilst the Market Half hourly switch is underway

We’ll be adding downloadable documents about metering providers to our website in the near future.

We’ll be sending more updates to all clients in the lead-up to the MHHS webinar, with information to help you make informed decisions.

Further Material for you to Review

Stark website on MHHS

Click to view

Ofgem website on MHHS

Click to view

Elexon website on MHHS

Click to view

Stark video on MHHS

Click to watch video

If you have any questions on this initiative please email us

With a century of combined experience in carbon and energy strategy, EIC Partnership is here to help you manage today and plan for tomorrow.

Head Office

Monarch House
7-9 Stafford Road
Wallington
SM6 9AN

Redditch

3 Brooklands
Moons Moat Drive
Redditch
B98 9DW

020 8835 3535

info@2024.welovetyres.co.uk

EIC Partnership is the trading name for:

Energy Intelligence Centre Limited

Registered Number: 11899462 | Registered Address: 7-9 Stafford Road, Wallington, SM6 9AN | VAT Registration: 318 2851 01

ESS (Utility Consultants) Limited

Registered Number: 06585789 | Registered Address: 7-9 Stafford Road, Wallington, SM6 9AN | VAT Registration: 679 9865 35

The Monarch Partnership Limited

Registered Number: 04346309 | Registered Address: 7-9 Stafford Road, Wallington, SM6 9AN | VAT Registration: 793 6132 10)