March 24th, 2004
© eMeter Corporation
Larsh JohnsonPresident, CTOeMeter Corporation
Meter Information Management in the New Environment
2Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Presentation Outline
What’s different?
New role of metering
Metering Lifecycle: Then & Now
Advanced Metering Infrastructure – increasingly complex relationships
Meter Information – beyond usage data
Systems and Applications
Advanced metering systems architecture
Example: California’s State-wide Pricing Pilot
Summary
3Confidential –- DATE, 2003
What’s different? A new environment for Metering
Several trends are changing the face of utility Metering and Meter Information
• Electronic meters – Increasing use of solid state electric meters makes new measurement parameters including power quality information available
• Communicating meters – have become more affordable and can provide data every day, every hourly or every few minutes
• Demand response programs – depend on metering support for advanced tariffs and driving frequency of data requirements
• Customer rate options – Some states requiring utilities to provide small customers with rate options as an alternative or supplement to retail competition
• Web Services – Utilities are implementing more and more online services to ease call center loads and improve customer services – key services such as electronic billing have led to providing end customers with access to their meter data and billing analysis applications
• New customer services – such as demand billing alerts, outage notifications, budget
billing, etc drive requirements for advanced metering
• Outsourcing – considerable interest in 3rd parties providing meter reading, maintaining meters, billing services, web services changes the information flow
• Deregulation/restructuring – continues to highlight to customers the value of
metering and online meter information and drives requirements for timeliness and quality
4Confidential –- DATE, 2003
New role of metering
Was:• Registration of monthly
energy usage for billing purposes
Is or Will Be:• Registration of usage for billing
purposes
• Information resource for consumers
• Platform for outage and restoration event reporting
• Distribution asset management resource
• Foundation for demand response/rate choice programs
• Basis for new customer services
• Power quality & performance monitoring
5Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Metering Lifecycle – Then and Now
Blanketorders
Commoditypurchase
Shop/TruckInventory
MeterInstall
MeterIn Service
MeterTest
RetireScrap
ComplexContracts
DetailedProduct
Procurement
Site-specificWork Order
MeterInstall
MeterIn Service
Requisitionfrom inventory
ProductConfiguration
NetworkActivation
NetworkConfiguration
VerifyProvisioning
DataCollection
TroubleReport
Meter TestRepair
/ReplaceCommunications
Test
ProductConfiguration
NetworkDe-Activation
RetireScrap
Was: relativelysimple commodityprocess
Is: highly tailored and configured process
6Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Advanced Metering Infrastructure – Managing complex relationships
NetworkNetwork
User Name
Circuit
Meter
Network ModuleCarrier
Contact
Premise
Service Point
Account
Service Provider
Outage App
Billing App
Web App
Dist. AppDataCenter
Static and Dynamic relationships must be
maintained for meter data to be useful
7Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Info Type Was Is
Measurements kWh, CT/PT and scaling, monthly cumulative readings
TOU schedules, interval size, demand configuration, kwh, kvarh, kvah, voltage, current, PF, PQ
Communications Manual read on monthly billing cycle
network type, network ID, read frequency, data to read, coverage, time to read, communications costs & performance, carrier/service provider, trouble contacts, activation/deactivation status,
Distribution network N/a Circuit identifier, outage/restoration events, load aggregation group, line voltage, outage statistics
Customer Account, Meter ID, Rate/Tariff, Contact name
account, rate/tariff, contact name, user ID/password, phone, email, contact history
Assets Bulk tracking of inventory and in-service assets
Serialized information with service history, configuration, ownership, communications type, etc,
Meter Services Meter install, read and test Communications service, data collection, user presentation, outage reporting, billing, distribution management,
Meter Information – beyond usage data
8Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Application Current Issues
Meter Asset Management
No history, communications module info, service tracking, or serialized device tracking
CIS & Billing Limited contact and user info, monthly bill cycle only, little advanced tariff support
Remote Meter Data Collection (e.g. MV90)
Only interval data, no TOU/Demand readings, mostly billing cycle reads
Electronic Meter Reading (Handhelds)
Billing cycle reads only
Outage Management Network status from customer calls, no links to meter data systems
Field Work Management
No support for advanced meter trouble/maintenance work, field installation
Customer Energy Web Presentation
Point applications for certain customer classes, not a scalable solution
Load Research Sample size limited, no ad hoc sampling,
Load Management Point applications for certain customer classes, not a scalable solution
Distribution System Management
Limited use of load data, planning based on historical data
Gen
eral
ly n
o i
nte
gra
tio
n
Typical Systems and Applications
9Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Multiple Technologies, Systems, Suppliers and Outsourcing
Not only are there significant new challenges in managing advanced meters with communications, but…
In most cases a utility will require multiple communications technologies, use two or more different systems and procure these through several suppliers.
For example: Selection of a specific solution depends on:• Service type – e.g. singlephase, polyphase, CT, PT, gas, water, etc. • Network coverage and communications availability• Consumer service and tariff requirements
In addition, many utilities are considering outsourcing all or part of these functions.
These new dimensions and options add significant complexity to the meter lifecycle management processes
No more one-size-fits-all with generic functionality…
10Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Various CommunicationsNetworks
Internet
DataCollection
Adapter
DataValidation
Engine
Data Est.Engine
AMISystemsManager
CISAdapter
OutageEvent
Engine
BillingDeterm
Calculator
WMSAdapter
OutageAdapter
CustomerWeb AppAdapter
Metered UsageData Repository
AMIManagement
DatabaseData
CollectionAdapter
CISERPWMS Web site OMS
WebServices
ReportGenerator
CSRMeterTech
Proj. Mgr
DataCollection
Adapter
Meter DataCollection
Server
Meter DataCollection
Server
Meter DataCollection
Server
Install Mgr
AssetMgmt
Adapter
Meter Information Systems Architecture – Must Haves
Relationships maintained in
AMI data model
Multiple technology
support
Web-based access utility &
3rd party
Support for legacy systems
integration
Generalized access to usage
database
11Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Program Management: California Statewide Pricing Pilot (SPP) project
Process• Target customers – multiple customers on one of
four rates, info only, TOU, Critical Peak Fixed, Critical Peak Variable
• Contact and begin enrollment – verify contact info, phone customers, get initial acceptance, send enrollment package, capture all contact history
• Install & activate meter – confirm network coverage, schedule installation, install and activate meter
• Provide Educational materials – mail materials to enrolled customers
• Verify notification info –verify phone number for automated outbound notification process
• Generate savings estimate – provide customers with estimated savings based on prior billing data
• Generate billing summary – provide each customer with unique bill summary showing usage in each rate period
• Conduct survey – follow-up surveys performed to gauge customer reaction to the rate
• Evaluate customer response – use metered load data determine customer response to pricing signals, use customer surveys to determine reactions
$-
$0.10
$0.20
$0.30
$0.40
$0.50
$0.60
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Pri
ce
per
kWh
Objective: Determine residential and small commercial customer responsiveness to price signals
Requirements: Track and manage all processes and capture data for program analysis.
12Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Supporting Information Platform
POTS
Various CommunicationsNetworks
Internet
AMISystemsManager
CISAdapter
WMSAdapter
EventAdapter
MeteredUsage DataRepository
AMIManagement
Database
CIS/Billing WMS
WebServices
ReportGenerator
CSRsMeterTech
Proj. Mgr
Meter DataCollection
Server
Meter DataCollection
Server
Meter DataCollection
Server
AssetMgmt
Adapter
EnrollmentContractors
AdvancedBilling
Consumers
NotificationService
ConsumerTelephone
CISAdapterCIS
AdapterDataCollectionAdapter
DataValidation
Engine
BillSummaryRendering
Outsourced AMI Mgmt, Meter Data Collection and Notification Services
Multiple Meter Data Collection Technologies –
phone & wireless
Interval data – to consumer web site,
to billing, to research team
Customer, meter, enrollment,
contact, installation and
status info
Interfaces to CIS, Billing, Notification
Systems
Web access for utility,
contractors, consumers
13Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Pilot Project Process Management
Process and status trackingHistory retainedCross-functional coordinationWeb access
14Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Customer Information – Billing Summary
• Metered usage data collected daily
• Billing Cycle maintained
• Pre-processing of usage data generates billing determinants
• Bill computation, taxes, surcharges added
• Billing information provided to rendering engine to generate billing summary pages
• .PDF rendered and posted to web site for customer viewing
• Billing summary mailed to customer on billing cycle
15Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Customer Information – Web site
Web servicesView interval usage dataView billing summariesView/update notification infoDownload education materialsLinks to related information
Future – online survey forms
16Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Project Results – 2003
CPUC Pilot Program Ordered March 13, 2003
Customer Enrollment completed in 2 months
~900 meters installed in under 3 months
Systems confirm readiness for Go Live July 1, 2003
First Critical Peak Event called July 17th, 2003
>94% notification success
Satisfaction:
88% of participants would recommend program be offered to other customers
Peak Demand - Treatment vs. Control Customers
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
CPP-All Customers TOU-All Customers CPP-Smart Thermostat,Central A/C
Rate Type
Pea
k d
eman
d (
kW p
er c
ust
om
er)
Control
Treatment20% less
49% less
24% less
17Confidential –- DATE, 2003
Summary
• Metering and Information services no longer “one size fits all”
• Customer interactivity with time-based tariffs drives new relationships
• Today’s systems are typically “silos” and not integrated
• Multiple technologies further complicate this
• Outsourcing adds another wrinkle – additional systems interfaces
• Carefully consider the new processes and systems involved in demand response, rate option, and metering programs
• Plan for this new environment – don’t assume traditional models
• Build flexible processes and systems – more change not less
• Consider managing an Advanced Metering Infrastructure a new challenge, not a tweak to existing processes and systems
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