Data Collector (DC)

What it is

A Data Collector (DC) is appointed by an electricity supplier to collect meter data, validate it and estimate it where readings are missing. It also keeps standing data about the meter. There are versions for half-hourly meters (HHDC) and for non-half-hourly meters (NHHDC).

You will not usually deal with the DC directly. Your supplier appoints it, and queries go through your supplier.

Where you will see it

Almost never by name on a business bill. You see its effects instead: the readings shown, whether a reading is marked as estimated, and corrections when actual readings arrive. If you send a meter reading, it ultimately feeds into this process.

Why it matters

If the DC has no recent actual reading, your estimated annual consumption and your bill may be based on a guess. That can mean paying too much or too little until a real reading arrives and the account is corrected. Regular readings, as explained in how often to submit readings, keep estimates close to reality. If you are already billed on an estimate, our guide to estimated bills shows how to put it right.

Example

A small office has a standard meter that nobody reads for a year. The DC estimates usage from the previous pattern, and bills are too high. After the owner submits a reading, the supplier's account is adjusted and a credit appears.

Related terms

The DC passes its data to the Data Aggregator, and works alongside the Meter Operator. Under market-wide half-hourly settlement the way settlement data is collected and processed is being redesigned, so the traditional agent roles, including the DC, are changing; your supplier remains your point of contact throughout.