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Efficient network infrastructure investment and operation

Dispatch service enhancement

Delivering improved flexibility and resilience of the system used to communicate and acknowledge dispatch instructions.

  • Generation
  • Policy
  • Code

    • Overview

    We have amended the Code and the Approved Systems Document to enable the system operator to replace their Generator Communication (GenCo) software for issuing electronic dispatch instructions. GenCo is ageing, proprietary software that will soon become unsupported. The system operator’s DSE project will replace GenCo by adopting two alternate communication protocols for dispatch: Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP) and web services.

    • ensuring secure and reliable delivery of dispatch communications
    • reducing technical barriers to market entry and participation, including for new technologies and business models 
    • increasing flexibility and reducing complexity of the dispatch service.

    Timeline

    Past activity

    Project background

    The system operator uses software to issue dispatch instructions to market participants. This system was called Generator Communication (GenCo) and had issues inherent to it which necessitated a replacement of the system. It was a barrier to entry into the market, had reliability and support issues, and hindered participants in the upgrading and maintenance of their own systems.

    The dispatch service enhancement project (previously the Electronic Dispatch Facility Phase III project) will deliver improved flexibility and resilience of the system used to communicate and acknowledge dispatch instructions. This project investigated amending the Code to allow for more flexibility for participants to use their own systems and software for dispatch instructions, such as allowing for automated responses and increased technicality of business models and technologies.

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