FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) Application for a Certificate of Public ...

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Response:
FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC or the Company)
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project
Response to British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC or the Commission)
Information Request (IR) No. 1
Submission Date:
October 5, 2012
Page 173
78.3.1 Would it be possible to obtain a reasonably accurate measure of network
losses without the installation of AMI? Please explain why or why not.
Estimates of total system losses have been used historically in the Company’s Revenue
Requirements and Cost of Service Analysis Applications. While these estimates are adequate
for power purchase and cost allocation purposes, they are not as granular or as detailed as the
network losses which could be measured following the installation of AMI meters. These more
detailed loss measurements would allow FortisBC to proactively locate and address specific
loss problems. Time-synchronized customer billing meter readings are required to make more
detailed loss calculations. FortisBC’s proposed AMI system is capable of producing these timesynchronized
meter readings.
Response:
78.3.2 Does FortisBC consider it reasonable to make an AMI investment to
address electricity theft in the absence of a reliable estimation of nontechnical
network losses? Please explain why or why not.
As described previously in the responses to BCUC IR1 Q78.3 and Q78.3.1, the current method
of estimating network losses can only determine overall losses for the entire FortisBC system.
By installing AMI meters, system losses could instead be measured at the individual distribution
feeder level. These much more detailed measurements would allow FortisBC to proactively
locate and address specific loss concerns – whether these losses are commercial or technical in
nature. Since a reduction in system losses reduces power purchase costs (and hence rates), it
is in the customers’ interests for FortisBC to use practical and available technologies such as
AMI to identify and reduce system losses.
Response:
78.4 How many customer accounts have been subject to production orders by law
enforcement officials each year since 2006?
FortisBC has received a total of thirteen production orders from law enforcement officials since
2006.