Businesses typically make use of temporary meters to set up a construction site, for short-term projects, or to arrange electricity for an event. Temporary meters are an important solution for measuring consumption until a permanent supply is set up, but one aspect that creates confusion is whether temporary meters require a Meter Operator (MOP) contract (sometimes referred to as a meter operator contract UK).
The simple answer is that it depends on your project. a mop contract is required based on the type of temporary meter installed, so the answer to whether your business will plan for a mop contract depends on your situation. This blog describes what a mop contract is, how temporary meters function, and whether your business will need to arrange a MOP contract. Throughout the article, we will identify common pitfalls and describe how E for Energy can help your business maintain compliance and save money.

What is a mop Contract?

A Meter Operator (MOP) contract is a necessary contract for half-hourly (HH) electricity meters. Half-hourly electricity meters are complex units that automatically send your supplier half hourly consumption data every 30 minutes.

MOP contracts include;
• Installation and maintenance of half-hourly meters.
• Data collection and communication, including meter readings and compliance.
• Compliance with Ofgem, that states half hourly settlement is required for large energy users.

All businesses with maximum demands greater than 100 kW will be obligated to use half hourly meters and therefore must have a mop contract in place. Even businesses below maximum demand with lower usage may be “voluntarily” put onto the half hourly settlement (called elective HH meters) and in those cases a mop contract will still be required.
Therefore, if your business has a half hourly meter—temporary or permanent—you will need a mop contract (for example, when negotiating a half hourly meter contract as part of wider UK business energy meter contracts).

What Are Temporary Meters?

What is a Temporary Meter?

Temporary meters are used to measure electricity usage for a limited time. it is not uncommon to find in the following locations:
• Construction Sites, when the site is not connected to a permanent supply
• Events and Festivals, requiring temporary electricity for lighting, catering and equipment
• Property Development, during the building phase and prior to handover

Temporary meters allow businesses to understand their energy usage and fairly bill their clients without the burden of a permanent meter installation. Temporary meters can be either of the following depending on the size of the site and its demand:
• Non-half-hourly (NHH) – small projects and low consumption of electricity
• Half-hourly (HH) – when consumption levels are high, such as large construction sites or developments using heavy machinery

Do temporary meters need a mop contract?

This is the million-dollar question, and the answer depends on the type of temporary meter you are installing.

1. Non-Half-Hourly (NHH) Temporary Meters
   If your site is going to be a standard temporary meter (non-half-hourly), then no MOP contract will need to be put in place because these meters are manually read, and the suppliers will bill you for either the actual or estimated energy usage to load up your tariff.
   Example:
   You are on a small construction site, using some basic tools and lighting for a six-month period. The energy consumption would be quite modest, and the temporary supply will need to be fitted with a standard meter; therefore, a mop contract is not required. (This is common for many temporary electricity meter UK installs where a simple NHH solution is appropriate.)
   
2. Half-Hourly (HH) Temporary Meters
   If your site is a half-hourly temporary meter, a MOP contract is compulsory, even though the meter is temporary. There is no difference in law between permanent HH meters and temporary HH meters.
   Why?
   • Ofgem regulations require all half hourly supplies are subject to a MOP contract.
   • Back office processes including data from HH meters are essential for settlement, compliance and billing accuracy
   • Without a MOP, suppliers cannot correctly register your meter, which could cause delays with your project.
   Example:
   A large housing development project has many cranes, heavy duty tools and a high demand for electricity. The site’s demand is greater than 100kW, so it must have a half-hourly temporary meter, and so must have a mop contract. (In these cases, you will typically be negotiating a half-hourly meter contract alongside your energy supplier meter contracts.)
   

Common Issues Businesses Experience

A lot of businesses find the whole area of temporary solution meters and MOP contracts a bit confusing. Here are the issues businesses face:

1. Misunderstanding the Relationship Between Temporary Meters and MOP Contracts
   o Businesses have sometimes assumed that because the meter is temporary, they don’t need a MOP contract. This isn’t true for half-hourly meters.
   
2. Processing Higher-than-Expected Costs
   o Some suppliers offer temporary supply contracts bundled with expensive MOP contracts. Consequently, businesses pay more than they need to. (This can happen when temporary meter installation quotes include high standalone meter operator contract UK charges.)
   
3. Compliance Problems
   o The supplier may not determine that it was a half-hourly temporary meter until they receive the registration. They will assign a temporary MOP with no contract until they are advised otherwise, the methodology cannot be established, causing delays and compliance risks with suppliers and regulators.
   
4. Confusion Regarding Contractual Terms
   o Temporary projects are just that and may only last months, however offers for MOP contracts are typically extended on multi-year terms. Businesses don’t seem to realise that a short term, flexible, negotiated agreement, is an acceptable option.
   
5. Having the Potential to Overpay on Supply Rates
   o Aside from the MOP contract and associated deliverables businesses also might be moving onto uncompetitive supply tariffs as they don’t have market knowledge. (E.g., businesses can end up accepting poor energy supplier meter contracts while arranging a temporary power supply for the business.)
   

How E for Energy Helps Businesses?

At E for Energy, we streamline and simplify all of the processes for businesses so they can be compliant and save money. Here’s how we help:
• Requirements Clarified – We identify your project’s demand and validate if your temporary meter requires a mop contract, leaving no room for guesswork and confusion.
• Better MOP Rates – Through our supplier network, we get competitive MOP contracts for you. In many cases, businesses save so much money they pay half of what suppliers would charge directly. (We can negotiate meter operator contract UK terms and half hourly meter contract rates.)
• One Stop Dedicated Service – We manage the temporary supply and when needed the MOP contract, meaning your project will get electricity when you need it without delays. (This includes handling temporary meter installation and energy supplier meter contracts.)
• Future Planning – We will work with you to ensure you smoothly transfer from your temporary supply contract to your permanent supply contract in order to avoid any overlap or compliance costs.
• Lowest Unit Cost Electricity – We match businesses with the lowest cost per unit electricity supply—the savings are utilitarian long after you have divested of the temporary services. (We specialise in UK business energy meter contracts and securing the best temporary power supply for business outcomes.)

For construction companies, developers, and facilities management, this ensures that projects remain compliant and on budget and no other headaches!

Commonly Asked Questions

1. Can I cancel MOP contract once the temporary meter has been removed?
   Yes, once the temporary meter has been de-commissioned, the MOP contract is no longer required. Just be sure to check the notice period or terms beforehand.
   
2. How long does it take to set up a MOP contract?
   Usually, this can take around 10-15 working days, but with the right help this could be quicker. Planning ahead is crucial to avoid projects getting delayed.
   
3. Can E for Energy handle both supply contracts and MOP contracts at the same time?
   Of course. We provide complete solutions and fully integrated services, including supply negotiations, MOP contracts, and transition planning, ensuring businesses can focus on running their projects.
   

Conclusion

Is a MOP contract required for temporary meters? It depends. Generally, non-half-hourly temporary meters do not require a MOP contract. However, with half-hourly meters, a MOP contract is mandatory regardless of how long the meter is in place. It is important to understand the distinction between the two to safeguard against unnecessary costs, compliance issues, and project delays. Suppliers are incentivized to put you onto a large MOP and, unfortunately, often ignore these issues to your detriment. Professional advice and assistance can simply avoid these unnecessary costs. At E for Energy, we make the process simple, compliant, ensuring you receive a competitive price for your business needs. Please get in touch today to discuss your temporary meter project and how we can support you to project ahead with confidence, efficiently, cost effectively, and hassle free.