P272 is the name of a piece of OFGEM regulation. P272 requires that all maximum demand meters (Profile class 05-08) who have an AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) meter fitted will need to be settled on actual Half Hourly (HH) consumption data in the same way that Half Hourly meters (profile 00) are currently settled. Currently settlement occurs using an industry wide forecast that is pre-determined in order to allocate electricity volumes to each supplier.

Does P272 affect me?

P272 affects any organisation who has a maximum demand supply (Profile classes 05-08 inclusive) that has an AMR fitted. In order to ascertain if you have one of the affected profile classes, check your bill for the profile class box.

If the numbers in the Profile Class box are 05, 06, 07 or 08 then your meter will be affected if you have an AMR installed.

The above example has the profile class ‘01’. If the numbers in this box are 05, 06, 07 or 08 then your meter will be affected if you have an AMR installed.

Will P272 affect my costs?

As P272 will measure energy usage based on half hourly readings, this will allow suppliers to price your contract based on your actual consumption pattern and also provide you with a bill that better reflects the actual cost of your energy. Half hourly data allows a supplier to use historical data, meaning that any customers who reduce energy consumption at peak times (for example early in the morning and late afternoon, particularly in winter) will see a reduction in their unit rate when they come to negotiate their next contract.

When is P272 happening?

The roll out will commence from November 2015 and suppliers have until 1 April 2017 to migrate these to the HH market. After some arguments within the industry an amendment called P322 was agreed which allowed for contracts after the November date to be migrated within 45 days of renewal.

Will P272 mean I will need to replace my meter?

The majority of customers who are affected by P272 will not need to have a new meter installed. If your AMR is able to be configured remotely it will already be capable of taking the HH readings and it will be unlikely that you will need to have your meter replaced.

Does P272 affect my bills?

There will be differences on your energy bills due to the usage of Half Hourly data, there will be some new lines on each bill as the cost of service will be shown as a breakdown. As soon as we have any more information we will be updating our web site.

Where can I find out more information?
If you still have any questions or are unsure if you will be affected by P272 please feel free to contact your account manager at Zenergi on 023 8028 6300. Alternatively there is also information available from OFGEM.