MHHS metering requirements: how to reduce billing risk

Why metering performance matters more than ever

Metering is the foundation of energy data and billing accuracy.

It determines:

Under MHHS, accurate billing depends entirely on consistent and reliable metering performance.

Without this, even the best data systems cannot produce accurate results

Worried about billing under MHHS? Start with your metering

MHHS (Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement) will fundamentally change how electricity is settled and billed in the UK.

While the shift promises greater accuracy and transparency, it also introduces greater exposure to billing risk.

So, for organisations preparing for MHHS, the priority is clear: your metering strategy.

Why billing risk is increasing under MHHS

Under MHHS metering requirements:

• Settlement will be based on granular, Half Hourly consumption data
• Data gaps and inaccuracies will be immediately visible
• Expectations around data completeness and accuracy are significantly higher

This transformation is part of the broader MHHS programme, which is reshaping how energy data is collected and used across the UK.

As a result, billing processes will no longer tolerate weak data foundations.

In the past, some issues were hidden within estimates. However, under MHHS, they will be identified and escalated quickly.

Therefore, if your metering performance drops, billing accuracy will also decline.

The impact of poor metering on billing

When metering performance declines, the consequences are immediate.

You may see:

• Incomplete or delayed consumption data
• Increased reliance on estimated billing
• Billing corrections, disputes, and rework
• Reduced confidence in energy reporting

As a result, poor metering doesn’t just affect operations; it also increases financial risk and inefficiency.

Common metering challenges across UK organisations

Many organisations are already managing complex metering estates.

These often include:

• Legacy infrastructure approaching end of life
• Mixed meter types across sites and portfolios
• Limited visibility of meter faults and performance issues

Under MHHS, these challenges become more serious.

For instance, ageing or poorly managed infrastructure can:

• Increase data failure rates
• Reduce billing accuracy
• Expose organisations to higher costs and compliance risks

How to prepare for MHHS metering requirements

To reduce billing risk and prepare for MHHS, organisations should act now.

We recommend:

1. Audit your meter estate – Understand the performance, condition, and coverage of all assets
2. Identify at-risk meters – Focus on meters with frequent faults, data gaps, or poor connectivity
3. Upgrade Non-Half Hourly (NHH) meters – Move to Half Hourly capability
4. Improve data visibility – Use monitoring tools to spot issues early
5. Enable reliable remote data collection – Ensure meters support consistent communication and data retrieval.

By taking action now, you can avoid costly billing errors and disruption later.

Not sure how your metering will perform under MHHS?

Where Stark makes the difference

Stark Connect’s metering services are built around a single principle: metering performance underpins everything.

We provide fully managed, end-to-end metering services, including:

• Design, installation, and maintenance across all environments
• National scale delivery with a dedicated in-house engineering team
• Integration of metering with data services for continuous performance

By combining metering and data, we provide immediate visibility, faster issue resolution, and improved billing confidence.

In addition, we provide daily gas data to our MAM customers as standard.

This means you can view both gas and electricity data in Stark ID. Therefore, you can easily identify opportunities to reduce costs and consumption.

Stronger performance, lower billing risk

When your metering performs, everything improves.

You gain:

• Accurate, complete data you can trust
• Reduced reliance on estimated billing
• Faster identification and resolution of data issues
• Greater confidence in settlement, reporting, and cost control

Ultimately, MHHS metering requirements raise the bar for performance.

So, if billing is a concern, start with your metering and get the foundation right.