- Elexon plans to launch a Smart Data Repository in the autumn that will publish aggregated half‑hourly electricity consumption data from meters transitioned to market‑wide half‑hourly settlement.
- The repository is part of Elexon’s wider Insights Solution and aims to make high‑level data accessible to anyone, enabling innovators to develop time‑of‑use tariffs, flexibility products and other services.
- By October 2026, around 80% of Britain’s 25.9 million electricity meters are expected to be settled on a half‑hourly basis.
Elexon, the company that administers the UK’s Balancing and Settlement Code, is gearing up to launch a Smart Data Repository that could transform how electricity consumption data is accessed and used.
According to an update by SSE Energy Solutions, the repository will go live in autumn 2026 publishing aggregated half‑hourly data from meters that have been migrated to market‑wide half‑hourly settlement (MHHS).
This open data platform is part of Elexon’s Insights Solution and aims to unlock innovation by making high‑level consumption data available to anyone, from suppliers and aggregators to researchers and app developers.
The initiative builds on the ongoing MHHS reform, under which more than one million meters had already been transferred by February 2026 and 80% (around 25.9 million) are expected to be settled on a half‑hourly basis by October 2026.
Half‑hourly settlement replaces estimated reads with actual consumption data every 30 minutes, allowing suppliers to design tariffs that reflect real‑time system conditions and reward customers for shifting demand. The Smart Data Repository will aggregate this data at a high level to protect privacy while still offering valuable insights into consumption patterns.
This could enable a raft of new products, such as smart EV charging tariffs that automatically charge vehicles during off‑peak periods, demand‑response programmes that pay consumers to reduce or export power at times of high demand, and local energy markets that match generation with consumption.
Demand-side innovation
The repository’s launch follows a government decision in July 2026 confirming Elexon’s role in delivering the platform, as well as modifications to the Balancing and Settlement Code to establish robust governance. The platform will initially publish data for meters that have moved to half‑hourly settlement and later expand to include datasets such as smart meter and electric vehicle charging data.
Elexon is also working with the Retail Energy Code Company and Ofgem on a consumer consent solution to ensure that personal data is shared securely and with explicit permission. The Ofgem impact assessment notes that the Smart Data Repository could deliver substantial benefits but stresses that its value case still needs to be fully developed.
The repository could open a new frontier in demand‑side innovation. Start‑ups and suppliers will be able to analyse consumption patterns and design tariffs that encourage flexibility, while network operators can use the data to plan upgrades and manage congestion. Researchers and local authorities could explore correlations between consumption, weather and socio‑economic factors, informing targeted efficiency programmes.
However, there are also challenges. Governance must ensure equitable access to the data, avoid monopolisation by large players and maintain customer privacy. Data quality and standardisation will be critical for meaningful analysis. At the same time, consumer benefits will only materialise if digital consent processes are easy to use and if price signals reach households through user‑friendly interfaces.
Policymakers will need to balance open data ambitions with safeguards, while investors and innovators should begin developing business models to leverage the new repository. The success of Elexon’s initiative will be a key marker of Britain’s progress toward a smarter, more flexible energy system.
