Case Study

Exelon Energy DeliveryAMR Pilot Project

Jeff Evans - Exelon

Michael Corbin - Elster Electricity, LLC

Agenda

• Mesh Network Overview

• EnergyAxis System Features

• EnergyAxis Applications

• Exelon Pilot Location

• Project Background• Functional Test Plan

• Remote Operations

• Benefits Achieved

• Lessons Learned

• Conclusions

What is a Mesh Network?

It’s a local area network (LAN)where nodes can participate as routers

for other nodes in the network.

For metering, this meansthe meter can also functionas a Repeater or Collector.

A Mesh Network Assumes Obstacles

• Mesh networks were developed for battlefield conditions where units are moving.

• Every radio repeats every message it hears.

• This is chaotic and can lead to interference when units are fixed.

• Elster employs a ‘controlled’ mesh where the Collector meter sets up the meter/repeater network

• Algorithms emphasize reliability to each meter & allow paths to change in an organized fashion when needed.

• Network configuration & changes are transparent to the operator.

C

EnergyAxis® System Overview

• Entirely meter-based two-way communication system

• Proven 902-928 MHz unlicensed RF for local area networks (LAN) and public wide area networks (WAN)

• Repeating RF “controlled mesh” LAN architecture

• EnergyAxis Metering Automation Server (MAS) - data collection system

• Electricity solutions are available today for: Residential, Commercial

& Industrial applications

• Future availability for Water and Gas

EnergyAxis Systemfor Residential Applications

MAS Communications Server

• 900 MHz repeating RF LAN solution for single-phase residential and small commercial applications

TelephoneRF WANs

• Integrates 900 MHz communications into REX® and A3 ALPHA® electronic meters

Public Networks (Telco / AMPS / Digital Cellular /

Paging)Single or 3-

phase ALPHAs

• Polyphase ALPHA meters with multiple WAN AMR options available today

Public Networks (Telco / Cellular)

1-ph REX

Meters

EnergyAxis 900 MHz

MAS Comm Server

Small Commercial Sites, Strip Malls, Shopping Centers, Large

Industrial Sites

3-ph A3

ALPHAs

• Polyphase A3 ALPHAs with repeating RF LAN communications now available for energy & demand metering

• REX meters for residential

EnergyAxis FunctionalityResidential, Commercial & Industrial

A3 ALPHA Meter CollectorOverview

• Collectors can be either single or polyphase meters

• Meets ANSI standards C12.18, 19 and 21

• Consists of A3 ALPHA meter with 2 internal boards:

• WAN: Available with internal telephone outage modem; optional external CDMA or GSM cellular modem, other future RF options

• LAN: 900 MHz RF Internal LAN Controller Board (ILC)

• 1 Collector manages up to 1,024 meters, including auto-registration and re-registration processes

• Includes Lithium TOU battery to maintain system time, which is broadcasted to all AMR meters in the RF LAN

• Maintains current and optional TOU tier schedules for downloading to REX meters (up to 8)

A3 ALPHA Meterwith 900 MHz LAN Board

• A3 Nodes provide polyphase AMR meteringfunctions with LAN operation similar to REX

• Units can function as an RF network repeater and can reside on same Collector networks with REX meters

• Currently available in Forms 9S, 12S, 16S, 35S, 36S

• C&I functionality

• kWH energy and kW demand metering today with remote demand reset

• Future support in 2005 for TOU, LP, Reactive

• “Plug and Go” installation in the field - auto configures the network

• Supports flexible rates without costly equipment changes or site visits.

• Any meter can measure:

• Energy (Delivered, Received, Sum, or Net)

• TOU (4 Tier, 4 Season Energy)

• Demand (Total + 1 Tier or 2 Tiers)

• Real-Time / Critical Tier Pricing at any time

• 15, 30 or 60 minute Load Profiling

REX MeterKey Features

REX MeterMore Key Features

• Tamper Detection • Outage / blink counts

• Reverse energy always metered

• Meter failure statuses

• End-point Voltage data

• Utility-specific LAN ID in each meter allows overlapping service territories without operational conflicts

• Outage and Restoration data

• Optional service disconnect switch is internal to the REX meter with demand limiting capability

REX MeterService Disconnect Switch Option

• Switch is inside the meter

• Switch is operated by a command from the MAS Communications Server

• The meter checks for load-side voltage before connecting service

• In the future, disconnect meters may also be programmed with a demand threshold

• Exceeding the programmed threshold will cause the switch to open for a programmed number of demand intervals, after which it will re-close.

Cost-Effective Solutionfor Targeted and Mass Deployments

Apartments

Student or Military Housing

Industrial Campuses

High-cost, Hard-to-Access,Dangerous, or High-Turnover Areas

Mass Residential and Commercial Areas

System Features of Interest to Exelon

• ComEd and Elster Electricity partnership

• Suitable for system-wide or targeted deployments

• Advanced 900 MHz RF LAN communication network

– Full two-way communication system to all end meters

– Repeating meter architecture allows multiple paths to communicate into RF “holes”

– Collectors are meters - No dedicated units “up on a pole”

• Tamper / meter alarm detection

• Outage and restoration data

• End-point voltage data

• Optional 200 A. service disconnect internal to meter

Yellow Stars indicate meters

Exelon’s Pilot LocationChicago South

Project Background

• Proof of Concept purpose was to validate that AMR can:– Reduce outstanding collections and past-due amounts

– Reduce lost revenue from final accounts

– Improve workforce safety for Meter Reading & Field/Meter Services

– Improve meter reading efficiency

• Outage management, tamper detection, and load profiling were also evaluated.

• AMR meters deployed in two locations:

AMR Meters

AMR with Disconnect

Meters Total

Cicero 439 115 554

Chicago South 146 55 201

Total 585 170 755

Functional Test PlanOverview

• Shop and field testing were used to validate:

– Communications

– Hardware

– Operating System

– Meter Reading Data

– Disconnect/Reconnect Functionality

– Interval Data

– Outage/Tamper Detection

Functional Test PlanSuccesses

• Integration of remote disconnect meters into collections process

• Tamper/Outage verification

• On-Demand reads

• Interval data

Remote Operations

Remote Disconnects

Remote Reconnects

Total

Cicero 61 50 111

Chicago South

41 39 80

Total 102 89 191

• Revenue Management executed 191 remote disconnect and reconnect operations during the pilot:

• 102 remote disconnects occurred for 88 distinct customers.

• 14 customers had more than 1 remote disconnect.

• 13 customers remain de-energized today.

Benefits Achieved

• 83.3% of eligible REX D customers were cut at an average past due amount of $293.15.

– System average is 25.1% at $527.00

• Meter reading rate for the 775 REX/REX D meters improved to 99.98%.

– Woodsman readings were used when manual readings could not be obtained.

– Remote meter reading improved manual operations.

Benefits Achieved

• Costs for Field/Meter Services were reduced by $4,400 resulting from using remote disconnect functionality.

• Meter reading costs would have been reduced from $505 to $0 by using Woodsman remote readings each month.

• Revenue lost as a result of unknown ownership was reduced by remote disconnects upon account final.

Benefits Achieved

• 0 safety incidents occurred with Meter Reading or Field/Meter Services personnel.

• 7 tampers and self-restorations were discovered via daily data review and resolved by Revenue Protection and Field/Meter Services.

– Incidents resulted in $275 in Rev Pro charges

• 2 reliability issues were discovered via daily data review and addressed by Operating:

– Failing Service Drop

– Incorrect weather-head connections

Lessons Learned

• Proper selection of customers ensures frequent use of remote disconnect functionality

• Installation plan – more structured to ensure communications to all meters

• Training/Communications to CSRs, installers and field personnel

• Verify medical status of account before installation

Conclusions

• The pilot achieved its goal of validating:

– Reduction in outstanding collectables/past-due amounts

– Reduction in lost revenue from finalled accounts

– Improvement in the safety of the Meter Reading and Field & Meter Services workforce

– Improvement in meter reading efficiency

• The remote disconnect meter functions as indicated.

• The system can also be used for tamper/theft detection and reliability reporting.