Business Electricity Comparisons in Plain English

Comparing business electricity and business gas pricesEU ETS - European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.
doesn't have to be complicated, particularly if you useA scheme to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide to
an independent expert to guide you through themeet targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol.
process. However there is a tendency for someHH - Half-Hourly. The name for meters with the
commercial energy suppliers to use jargon andprofile number '00' that are used by energy-intensive
acronyms which mean nothing to the averagebusinesses whose average peak electricity demand
businessperson simply looking to compare businesswas greater than 100kW in any three months of the
electricity prices. Here's our guide to the abbreviationsprevious year.
you might come across when looking to switchKVA - Kilovoltampere. A unit of power required to
commercial electricity:run industrial machinery.
ARD - Agreed Read Dispute. Industry-wide processKWH - Kilowatthour. The standard unit to which
to resolve problems arising when closing and openingbusiness electricity prices relate.
meter readings do not correspond during a businessLEC - Levy Exemption Certificate. Issued by Ofgem
electricity switch or change of tenancy.to exempt the holder from paying Climate Change
AMR - Automated Meter Reading. Available fromLevy in addition to business electricity prices.
Smart Meters, these readings provide instant andLNG - Liquefied Natural Gas. Gas cooled so that it
accurate data about commercial electricitycondenses into a liquid and can be more easily
consumption.transported / stored.
AQ or AAQ - Annual Quantity or Annual AgreedMD - Maximum Demand. The highest expected load
Quantity. An estimate of future consumption ofdrawn from the network by an intensive commercial
commercial gas, as calculated by the distributionelectricity user. Maximum Demand meter profile
network, Transco.numbers begin with '05, 06 07, 08' and usually have
ASC - Authorised Supply Capacity. This only appliestheir own types of tariff.
to Maximum Demand customers and is theMPAN - Meter Point Administration Number. Also
commercial electricity 'load' allowed to be taken toknown as a 'supply number' or an 'S number', this is
run industrial equipment.the unique identifying number that can be found on a
CCL - Climate Change Levy. A charge introduced bybusiness electricity price bill. The first two digits give
the Government in 2001 on commercial electricity andyour meter profile (03 or 04 for small businesses, 05
gas, intended to encourage less consumption andto 08 for maximum demand and 00 for half-hourly.
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.MPR - Meter Point Reference. Similar to above but
CO2 - Carbon Dioxide. A greenhouse gas, measuredfor gas - ie it is the unique identifying number of a
in tonnes, that makes up the Carbon Footprintcommercial gas supply. It is 10 digits and can be
belonging to each commercial electricity user.found on a bill.
CRC - Carbon Reduction Commitment. A schemeMSN - Meter Serial Number. A unique number used to
designed to improve energy efficiency in largeidentify a meter which will be displayed on the front
organisations and mandatory for the 5,000 biggestof most meters.
commercial electricity users in the UK.MTC - Meter Time Switch Code. Provides information
CV - Calorific Value. A measurement of the energyabout your business electricity meter (like the number
contained in gas and usually quoted in megajoules perof dials it has) and which tariffs it supports. EG It
cubic metre (MJ/m3).may support two rate tariffs for day-and-night
DECC - Department of Energy and Climate Change.consumption.
Created by the Government in 2008 to 'ensure ourOFGEM - Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. The
energy is secure, affordable and efficient'.organisation set up to regulate and promote
EAC - Estimated Annual Consumption. Similar to AQcompetition within the deregulated energy industry.
but for profiling the consumption of commercialPP10 - HM Revenue & Customs form to claim
electricity, based on historic billing information.exemption or discount from the Climate Change Levy
Sometimes known as Calculated Annual Consumption(CCL).
or CAC.ROC - Renewable obligation certificate. Holds details
ECOES - Electricity Central Online Enquiry Service. Aof exactly how a unit of renewable electricity was
service provided by the electricity suppliers andproduced, who produced it and who bought the
distribution companies which notifies the relevantelectricity.
organisations when someone is switching commercialYABA - Yet Another Bloody Acronym!
electricity supplier.