Variable-rate tariffs should be invalid if maxPrice is not specified.

[jecollins]

The idea of the max-price field in Rate was to limit the maximum value of a variable rate. Currently, Rates are not rejected if they are not fixed and lack this field.

[jecollins]

Proposed validity rules for a non-fixed Rate:

• maxValue greater than minValue for PRODUCTION tariffs, less for CONSUMPTION tariffs.
• expectedMean between minValue and maxValue.

[preddy]

I think it's confusing to have maxValue less than minValue. Maybe the values should be called bestValue and worstValue instead?

Thanks,
Prashant

[chrysopoulos18]

I agree there maybe be some confusing over the matter. So another name should be choosen, who would be more self-explanatory.

[jecollins]

Changing those names would break all the brokers. Let's not go there.

I think the names are intuitive, if you think about them from the viewpoint of a single power type. For consumption, maxPrice is the highest price you have to pay, and for production maxPrice is the highest price you would receive.

It's just when you try to write the math for the general case that it gets confusing. I did not choose absolute values, because I do not want to prevent a broker from paying a customer to take power, or from charging a customer to deliver power in some extreme cases.

[jecollins]

Added general validity-checking scheme, implemented in TariffSpecification, Rate, VariableRateUpdate.