Ofgem has warned the entire energy industry has to be ready for Project Nexus Go-Live this month. Project Nexus is the implementation of new business processes for gas settlement reform and the single service provision for all gas transporters. The system will cover any gas transaction from wholesale shipping to any company involved in switching domestic gas customers.

The project has been under development for more than a decade and has been rescheduled and rescoped several times, but it was described by Centrica, in a submission to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as “central to resolving many of the current issues with gas settlement”.

Key dates:

17 May 2017 –  The final Go / No-Go decision on Project Nexus implementation will take place on 17 May, made by the Project Nexus Steering Group (‘PNSG’), which has representation from all key market participant communities that are impacted by Project Nexus. This decision will be ‘in principle’

19 May 2017 – Go / No-Go decision will be confirmed at a subsequent meeting on 19 May.

22 May 2017 – Barring an unforeseen event, the industry will then move to a ‘fix forward’ situation on 22 May.

June 2017 – The industry will begin working with the new system in June, if Go-Live goes ahead.

Ofgem and Xoserve have published a FAQ document for for all stakeholders. Click here to download. 

Companies would not be able use the switchover as an excuse for poor performance, Ofgem said: “We will continue to monitor suppliers’ performance over this period and reserve the right to pursue further investigations against any supplier who fails to meet their targets to the extent that cannot be reasonably attributed to the NED period alone, or for not taking all reasonable steps to resolve issues … Full, frank and proactive disclosure, coupled with constructive discussion, will always be viewed positively over reactive, issue raising without full consideration of the facts and the history of prior discussion and decisions.”

Ofgem suggested that suppliers and comparison websites should brief customer service staff on the implications of the system cutover.

Related content:

Ofgem takes over Project Nexus, warning it is year’s ‘biggest risk to consumers’

Project Nexus: June go-live ‘looks feasible’

Project Nexus remains at ‘red’ status with no certainty on go-live

Project Nexus update: new risks to delivery

Project Nexus: Ofgem consults on up to six-month delay

Click here for more stories about Project Nexus