Transcript 105 pm Jeff Evans

Case Study
Exelon Energy Delivery
AMR 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 means
the meter can also function
as a Repeater or Collector.
A Mesh Network
Assumes Obstacles
C
• 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.
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 System
for Residential Applications
• Integrates 900 MHz communications into
REX® and A3 ALPHA® electronic meters
• 900 MHz repeating RF
LAN solution for singlephase residential and
small commercial
applications
Telephone
RF WANs
MAS Communications Server
EnergyAxis Functionality
Residential, Commercial & Industrial
• Polyphase ALPHA meters with
multiple WAN AMR options
available today
• Polyphase A3 ALPHAs with
repeating RF LAN communications
now available for energy &
demand metering
• REX meters for residential
Public Networks
(Telco /
Cellular)
MAS Comm Server
Public Networks
(Telco / AMPS /
Digital Cellular /
Paging)
3-ph A3
ALPHAs
EnergyAxis 900 MHz
1-ph REX
Meters
Small Commercial Sites, Strip Malls,
Shopping Centers, Large Industrial Sites
Single or 3-phase
ALPHAs
A3 ALPHA Meter Collector
Overview
• 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 Meter
with 900 MHz LAN Board
• A3 Nodes provide polyphase AMR metering
functions 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
REX Meter
Key Features
• “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 Meter
More 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 Meter
Service 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 Solution
for Targeted and Mass Deployments
High-cost, Hard-to-Access,
Dangerous, or High-Turnover Areas
Apartments
Student or Military
Housing
Mass Residential and Commercial Areas
Industrial Campuses
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
Exelon’s Pilot Location
Chicago South
Yellow Stars indicate meters
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 Plan
Overview
• 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 Plan
Successes
• Integration of remote disconnect meters
into collections process
• Tamper/Outage verification
• On-Demand reads
• Interval data
Remote Operations
• Revenue Management executed 191 remote
disconnect and reconnect operations during the pilot:
Remote
Disconnects
Remote
Reconnects
Total
Cicero
61
50
111
Chicago
South
41
39
80
Total
102
89
191
• 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.