DSC Amendment: Interval Metering
On May 21, 2014, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a Notice of Amendment to Distribution System Code (DSC) that would require distributors to install a MIST (Metering Inside the Settlement Timeframe) meter on any installation with a monthly average peak demand of over 50kW during a calendar year. The amendments come into force on August 21, 2014.
The OEB clarified that if a customer already has a smart meter that is approved by Measurement Canada as an Interval Metering Device, then replacement of that meter would not be required. Further, there is no requirement to use the distributor’s AMI infrastructure for the general service >50kW customers. The decision is at the discretion of the distributor. The data collected through the interval meters would not be sent to the Meter Data Management and Repository (MDM/R).
The implementation timeframe has been changed from five years to six years so that distributors can design efficient implementation plans taking Measurement Canada metering requirements into consideration.
The OEB will establish a deferral account to be used to capture the costs of these amendments. The board notes that the recording of amounts into this deferral account does not guarantee final recovery of those amounts.
The Notice of Amendment can be accessed from the OEB’s web site, click here.
DSC Amendment: Unmetered Load Customers
On May 15, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a Notice of Amendment to Distribution System Code (DSC) that would require distributors to include certain minimum requirements in their conditions of service in relation to unmetered load customers. The amendments are effective January 1, 2015.
The OEB stated that distributors should take note of the concerns raised by Rogers Communications in writing “conditions of service”, particularly with respect to consistent treatment across distributors for unmetered load classification and definition. This would include avoiding duplication of costs related to device testing, by making the test results done at one distributor acceptable to other distributors.
Members will recall that the amendment requires a distributor’s conditions of service to include the following items in relation to unmetered loads:
• The rights and obligations of unmetered load customers and the distributor in relation to each other.
• The process by which unmetered load customers are to file updated data and evidence necessary to validate the data.
• The process by which unmetered load customer billing updates will take place.
• Communication and engagement with unmetered load customers in relation to the preparation of cost allocation studies, load profile studies or other rate-related materials which may materially affect unmetered load customers.
The Notice of Amendment can be accessed from the OEB’s web site, click here.
Rodan Energy Solutions had recommended that the OEB that the DSC modification also consider a minimum requirement of 5 minute interval data and customer access to a meter communications port. This was recommended to assist energy users to be more active in monitoring energy consumption, investigating solutions to become more efficient and to aid in meeting the coming IESO market requirements to participate in demand response and other demand-side opportunities. As we all now know, the government made a commitment in the latest Long Term Energy Plan to increase the demand response capability of the system to 2500 MW by 2025.
Rodan Energy Solutions staff would be happy to meet with any energy user that can contribute 100 kW or more to the grid, about how to qualify and act on demand response potential. Contact us at info@rodanenergy.com or 905-625-9900.
