New Dynamic Services (DC/DM/DR)

Dynamic Containment (DC), Dynamic Moderation (DM) and Dynamic Regulation (DR) make up our new suite of Dynamic Response Services. Together they work to control system frequency and keep it within our licence obligations of 50Hz plus or minus 1%. DM provides fast acting pre-fault delivery for particularly volatile periods, and DR is our staple slower pre-fault service. DC is our post-fault service. 

The Response R3 Consultation has now been submitted to Ofgem for review. Details on our final position on each of the proposed changes as well as feedback received throughout the consultation process can be found below under the ‘Ofgem Article 18 Submission’ tab. Should you have any questions or would like to schedule a call with the response team, please reach out via email

The indicative timeframe for the consultation is outlined below. 

Completed Published    Mid-July       August  September-October November
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EBR article 18 consultation documents

All documents relating to the Dynamic Services release 3 consultation are available here to download. This consultation will close on 29 July 2024. Please be aware that there is a separate Article 18 consultation live for Quick Reserve which includes discrete changes to the response procurement rules to facilitate the co-optimisation of response and reserve procurement.

Technical requirements

Here are the technical requirements for a unit to provide each service:

Service specification Description DC DM DR
Initiation time  The maximum time between a change in frequency and change in the delivery of response 0.5s 0.5s 2s
Max time to full delivery The maximum time between frequency devition occurring and delivery of the saturation quantity 1s 1s 10s
Delivery duration Time that an energy limited provider must be capable of sustained delivery  15 minutes 30 minutes 60 minutes
New providers

If you're a new provider, the New Dynamic Response Services Guidance can support your onboarding journey.

DC DM DR onboarding checklist 

Here's an onboarding checklist of the pre-qualification requirements. It's essential to complete it before a unit can participate in the Dynamic Containment, Dynamic Moderation, and Dynamic Regulation auctions. 

DC DM DR Onboarding Checklist
BM unitsProvider / Unit level Non BM unitsProvider / Unit level
Asset testing per serviceUnit Asset testing per serviceUnit
Operation meteringUnitOperation meteringUnit
Data Concentrator - Performance monitoringProviderData Concentrator - Performance monitoringProvider
Data Concentrator - AvailabilityProviderContract Forms ABCProvider
Contract Forms ABCProviderAsset registration on SMPUnit
Asset registration on SMPUnitProvider registration on SMPProvider
Existing providers

Publication of auction results:

The DC, DM, and DR auctions run on the EAC platform. You can access daily-updated data from auction results through the NESO Data Portal (WIP).

Adding assets to your system: 

As a registered provider, you can add new assets via the Single Markets Platform.

Performance Monitoring support: 

We've published the DM/DR/DC Performance Monitoring CSV template for providers to transfer to our data concentrator API. This process will help support the upload of performance monitoring data.

Data Concentrator: 

Data Concentrator is the channel by which BM and non-BM providers share performance monitoring data. For the launch of DM/DR, BM providers will also submit availability information via Data Concentrator using the Notification of Availability/Outage CSV File Format. It will replace the current fax-based process for submitting availability declarations. The availability field in operational metering will deprecate in favour of the Data Concentrator route.

Data Concentrator information

Settlements Information:

Payments for response services are handled by our settlements team.

Access the Settlements page

Document library

All documents relating to New Dynamic Services are available here to download, including previous archived versions.

Information for non-BM providers

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To participate in DM and DR, non-BM providers will need to communicate via an API-based interface with the ESO’s Non-BM Dispatch system, Ancillary Services Dispatch Platform (ASDP)/Platform for Ancillary Services (PAS). Testing and approval of this interface will form part of the prequalification process. 

Updated versions of the ASDP Web Services Specification and Business Logic Document can be found below.

The Web Service Specification document describes the most recent version of web services to be implemented from both National Grid ESO (PAS) system and Service Providers’ systems. It also describes the technical specifications including Web Services Description Language (WSDLs) and XML Schema Definition, methods and parameters to be used to invoke the WSDLs, connection patterns and protocols, security measures. The validations and exceptions are particular to each ancillary service and hence these will be published as a separate ‘Business Logic Document’ for each ancillary service.

Watch the technical overview of ASDP video

Market engagement 2020

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- Frequency Response Products Market Information Reports 

Podcast/videos

- Podcast on Dynamic Containment (26/6/20)

- Service Terms video (the PowerPoint version can be accessed below in the document library) (4/9/20)

Webinars

- Webinar recording of the soft launch webinar on 18 August (21/8/20)

- Procurement rules and process webinar and slides (4/9/20)

- Onboarding webinar and slides (4/9/20)

- Testing webinar and testing guidance (4/9/20)

- Mock tender review webinar (28/9/20)

Consultations

EBGL Article 18 Dynamic Containment consultation (21/8/20). Following the consultation, Ofgem have approved the final Terms and Conditions and associated contractual documents. Alongside the Article 18 submission, NGESO also submitted an EBGL Article 26 document and a derogation related to Clean Energy Package Article 6(2), which were both approved. We submitted a letter to Ofgem following the end of the EBGL consultation which includes the consultation responses from providers.

- EBGL Article 26 Dynamic Containment consultation (Oct 20) on the use of Dynamic Containment as a specific product. In the previous consultation, Ofgem approved the proposal we submitted on this but it was on the condition that we held a full consultation in October. The consultation was open until 30 November. 

Assessment information

The results from the tenders are published on the NESO Data Portal.

Access the Data Portal

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Single Markets Platform

The Single Markets Platform will allow interested parties to register and prequalify to participate in day-ahead frequency response markets in DC, DM, and DR.

The SMP system is replacing the Form A, B and C processes, putting the ownership of data in the hands of the market participant. You can register as a user, share your company details, register assets, create units to participate in services and seek to prequalify such units.

Our dedicated Single Markets Platform provides supporting guidance videos and user guides.

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Further enquiries

Get in touch with the right team within Balancing Services, who are on hand to answer any questions you may have.