About the Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent service
The Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent (BMRA) collects and publishes information about the electricity system in Great Britain. Balancing Mechanism and System Related Information is sourced from the System Operator (National Grid), and Registration Information from the Central Registration Agent.
How it relates to you
The BMRA performs and publishes indicative calculations of the Cash-out prices (System Buy and System Sell Prices) for each Settlement Period. This information is published on the BMRS website.
There are two grades of service are provided by the BMRA. The High Grade Service allows the user a constant, high quality access to the BMRS via a dedicated network. The Low Grade Service uses the public internet to interface with the systems.
The service can be used by market participants to help make trading decisions and understanding market dynamics, and acts as a prompt reporting platform as well as a means of accessing historic data. This includes:
- REMIT data – information provided by market participants to comply with Article 4 of Regulation on Wholesale Energy Market Integrity and Transparency (REMIT) Regulation (EU) 1227/2011
- Balancing Data – includes system prices, BMU data such as Final Physical Notification (FPN), Maximum Export/Import Limits (MIL/MEL), Bid Offer data
- Generation fuel mix forecast – including Wind Forecast Out-turn, Generation Output Useable (forecast) and Generation by Fuel Type (actual)
- Demand data – including Demand Day Ahead (forecast), Initial Demand Out-turn (actual) and Peak Demand data.
- Electricity Data Summary: Includes 9 frequently requested reports including System Prices, Generation by Fuel Type and System Demand
- Transparency: Data for the Transparency Regulation (EU) 543/2013 originating from the Transmission company and market participants
- Transmission: Balancing Mechanism data from the Transmission company and data includes System Operator to System Operator Trades (SO-SO), SO-SO Trade Prices and System Warnings
Further information
- User Requirements Specifications: Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent
- Service Description: Balancing Mechanism Reporting Agent
Future changes to BMRS
Elexon is working on an Insights Solution, a cloud based data platform. It builds on the current industry-renowned BMRS platform and will provide a richer, more up to date and detailed data service.
Accessing BMRS data
The BMRS data is accessible through the website, Application Programming Interfaces (API)and Data Push Service.
The BMRS APIs and Data Push Service are designed to allow users to access BMRS data automatically. Depending on requirements, users can decide whether to use the API or Data Push services or a combination of the two.
The APIs use a pull mechanism, so are better suited for users needing ad-hoc access to historical information, or those who are interested in specific flows.
The Data Push Service is a new capability that allows the near real-time publishing of information from the BMRS system. This is useful for those who need the latest information from BMRS pushed to their system in near real time. Further details can be found in the BMRS API and Data Push User Guide (see “Related Content”).
Terms of use policy
The BMRS APIs and Data Push service are available to market participants free of charge to improve the service and ensure access to all users across the market.
Participants who are not BSC Parties are also required to accept the BMRS licence terms should they wish to use the BMRS data.
IT upgrades
We publish any downtime or alteration to these services in the website Calendar and as ELEXON circulars.
