Are You Smart Enough to Implement Smart Grid?

Angela Riley, Metering Supervisor City of San MarcosSan Marcos, TX

Home of Texas State University◦ 29,500 students

San Marcos River◦ Spring fed river◦ 72 degrees year-round

Population approx. 50,000◦ 19,500 electric customers◦ 9,200 water customers

Why Why AMI?AMI?

2-way communication Quicker connects and disconnects

◦ 2,300 remote disconnect meters installed◦ Read And Leave agreement with most apartment

complexes System integrity

◦ 6,100 voltage recording meters◦ Includes all commercial meters, AX meters, and

remote disconnect meters Customer service

◦ Interval usage data available on line◦ On demand meter reads

A common mistake some people make is thinking an AMI system will result in a reduction of workforce.

Please know that an AMI system will not necessarily result in salary savings.

The meter reading function will mostly go away, but personnel will need to be reallocated to different positions.◦ Meter Technicians

Trouble shooting meters Connects/disconnects Tampers

◦ Meter reading will be limited Fire hydrant meters Missing reads for meters that will not communicate (isolated areas)

Interval reading data from an AMI system◦ Creates more work – detailed reports from interval data◦ Requires more data storage than the monthly read you get from an AMR

system

Hired a Consultant◦ Cost-benefit Analysis and ROI for Council Approval◦ RFI/RFP for a Wireless Mesh Network◦ Assisted with Vendor Selection◦ Recommendations to Maximize Functionality of

AMI◦ Future Business Designs◦ Assisted with Pilot Program and Deployment

Planning

We are using one product for Water and Electric

Meters/RadiosHardware

Network Software

Network Manager

Meters Communicate through a Data Pathway

Cellular/Fiber

Local Area Network (LAN) – meter to meter◦ Random encryption for each transaction

Wide Area Network (WAN) – network to host◦ Banking level security

Annual code, but can be changed at any time if Eka sees a possible security breech

◦ 256 bit encryption Host – user operations

◦ Password protected◦ Set internally by the utility based on specific user

needs

Pilot Pilot ProgramProgram

Headed by a Project Manager Include Representatives in all Involved Departments

◦ Electric Metering Supervisor Meter Technician/Analyst

◦ Water Water Distribution Manager Utility Crew Leader

◦ Utility Billing Manager Q/A Specialist

◦ Technical Services (IT)◦ Geographic Information Services (GIS)◦ Upper Management (as required)

Key People are the Key to Success Weekly Status meetings to include vendor from testing

through deployment

7 months of testing Contract written so vendor is at risk, not the City Alpha

◦ 1 month long◦ 50 meters installed (5 water)◦ To ensure the wireless mesh was running and

communicating to the network Beta

◦ 6 months◦ 450 meters installed (50 water)◦ To test the functionality of the wireless mesh and

communications◦ To test integration with our Harris billing system

500 Meters Installed◦ Electric was relatively simple◦ Water had some problems

Node installations (node = transmitting device) Nodes not transmitting Meter lids

Challenges◦ Water meters◦ Integrating with our Harris billing system

Achievements◦ 99.5% success rate for previous week’s reads◦ Identified a customer with a water leak during the first week

What We Learned◦ Testing took longer than expected◦ Strong, cooperative relationship is necessary with the vendor

During integration, the utility must take an active roll to coordinate relations between the Billing system vendor and the AMI vendor.

Added Three Servers◦ One for interval read data coming into our Harris billing

system (NorthStar Interval Data - NSID) Billing purposes Customer web view

◦ Two for Eka’s network system (Network Manager) and reporting module (Data Manager)

Views Created between Eka’s Reporting Module and our NSID◦ Allows real-time access to the databases◦ Reduces workload by automating processes◦ Reduces chances for human error

We have not purchased a Meter Data Management System, so the NSID is our temporary solution at this time

Fully Integrated Eka Functionality into our Harris Billing System◦ Service connects/disconnects◦ On-demand reads◦ Demand resets◦ Interval reads for viewing

Where to Store?◦ Lots of discussion: Eka or Harris?◦ Multipliers are being stored in the billing system

Harris Systems added the multiplier to the view for Eka to use for reporting purposes only in Data Manager

Water Meter Multipliers Changing◦ Before AMI, all readings were modified to calculate

usage based on a multiplier of 100.◦ With AMI, we changed the way we read water meters.

All dials are read and the meter multiplier depends on the type of meter (0.1, 1.0, or 10)

◦ The multiplier had to be changed so we could see the resolution for leak detection and water loss

Meters Can’t Always Communicate with Collectors◦ Eka ‘nodes’ allow meters to backfill data in the network

once communications re-establish◦ However, when polling reads for billing, some meters may

not be reporting Created a Gap Fill function in the billing system to fill the holes

Calculates the gap automatically Important because future functionality to include Time Of Use billing Reason: No Validation, Editing, Estimation (VEE) yet

Demand resets Can’t guarantee demand reset at time of reading, so demand

calculations are set in the billing system Demand calculations are based off of interval readings

Demand meters report reads every 30 or 15 minutes Resets will still be requested through the network monthly as required

Reporting is very important! Allows you to discover problems in the network, such as:

◦ Communication failures – meters not reporting◦ Tampers◦ Duplication of data in meter inventory◦ Hi/Low voltage◦ CT installation problems◦ Outage reporting◦ Possible dead meters◦ Continuous Flow - leak detection◦ Negative consumption

Some reports developed by Eka Systems as part of our contract

City of San Marcos requesting special reports to fit our needs

Full Full DeploymentDeployment

Steps to take1. Plan and deploy ‘collectors’ first

• By the end of deployment, you will probably install more than expected to increase redundancy in the network

2. Plan electric meter installations starting around the collectors first and move outwards• Allows meters to form to the network faster• Reduces pockets in the network

3. Plan water meter installations to follow electric• Water meters only communicate to electric meters or

collectors, not other water meters

4. Always work schedules around your meter reading and billing schedules

Two Schedules1. Electric

• Contracted with TMD through Eka• 6 months to complete

2. Water • In-house• About 12 months to complete• Follows electric

Customers◦ Mailer and Maps (not a bill stuffer)◦ Press Releases◦ Maps in Lobbies of City Facilities◦ Webpage◦ Door Hangers

Completed change-out Access issue

◦ Information Cards Employees

◦ Very important!!!◦ Same education as customers◦ Training sessions for Workflow Changes

Time consuming process Multiple tasks to prepare Organize a “To-do” list

◦ This list will be lengthy◦ Divide amongst departments

Prioritize Empower staff with assignments Project manager follow up

Electric examples:◦ Deployment schedules◦ Determine quantities of meters & locations◦ Order extra metering supplies (seals, locks, disc sleeves)◦ Storage space (new & old meters, extra supplies)◦ Supplies for contractor (ID’s, vehicle magnets, keys)◦ Meter Exchange testing◦ Train staff◦ Customer Notification & schedule◦ Custom reports & specs◦ Increase staff in office

Meter shipments/inventory File creations & uploads for exchanges Review upload files for exchanges

◦ Service upgrades & emergency meter base repairs Who will take responsibility? Budget? City of San Marcos took the responsibility

Contract with an electrician for the project Objective: keep the project on target and restore power quickly for customers

Water - Be prepared for replacing damaged boxes, resetting boxes, and repairing leaks

Install a Variety of Meters◦ Increase Functionality of the AMI System◦ Reporting Capabilities

Meters San Marcos Selected◦ Landis & Gyr AL (14,000)◦ Landis & Gyr AX (2,000)

Report line voltage◦ Landis & Gyr AX-SD (2,300)

Allow remote service disconnect Report line voltage

◦ Elster A3D (1,800) Demand meter Report line voltage

Programming

Before AMI, minimal meter data stored◦ Meter number◦ Residential vs. commercial◦ Multipliers

With AMI, changed inventory to include many more details◦ Meter number is prefaced by meter form number

2s meter numbers start with 2 (ex: 200222), 4s meter numbers start with 4, and so on…

Helps meter technicians identify meter types easier◦ Meter Form◦ Meter Manufacturer◦ Meter Type

A3D (demand) AL (regular residential) AX (voltage recording) AX-SD (service disconnect)

◦ Purchase date◦ Purchase cost

Important changes for analyzing the meters in your network and inventory, especially through GIS

Test the Program◦ Test as much as possible before deployment◦ Start deployment slow to work out unexpected

problems Verify Removal Reads to Avoid Overbilling

Customers◦ Photograph final read on meter◦ Review final consumption (hi/low) to locate

misreads and make edits before uploading the file into the billing system

Prepare Meter Dept. Staff for Problems – everything funnels here and to Billing staff

Water Services Extend Outside of our Electric Service Territory

Negotiations with Neighboring Utilities were Necessary to Establish Communication1. Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC)2. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative (BEC)◦ Metering points were not necessary,

just installation and attachment fees

Future Future PlansPlans

Customer Web View◦ Interval Read Data◦ Energy Profile Chart◦ Energy Conservation Tips

Meter Data Management System (MDMS) Outage Management System (OMS) Time of Use Billing Conservation Reporting (water)

QuestionsQuestions??

Angela RileyMetering Supervisor

Public Services - Electric Utility512.393.8311

ariley@sanmarcostx.gov