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

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
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 178
79.2.1 What is the size of residential service required to support a 30kW
grow op?
A residential application with a 30kW load would be sized at 200 amps.
80.0 Reference: Project Costs and Benefits
Exhibit B-1, Tab 5.0, Section 5.3.2, pp. 81-84;
Exhibit B-3, Excel Document: “FortisBC – AMI Excel NPV Analysis –
17Aug12”
Deterrence Benefit
Concerning the “Probable AMI Forecast”, Exhibit B-1 notes:
“It is expected that with an AMI-enabled theft detection program, marijuana grow
operators may choose to switch to alternate energy sources rather than pay for
electricity. This reduction in gross load is accounted for by assuming a 1 percent growth
in grow sites in the probable AMI forecast as opposed to the 2 percent assumed in the
status quo model.”
“AMI enabled revenue protection is expected to increase theft detection from 8 to 25
percent by 2016, and gradually increase deterrence from 75 to 95 percent by 2021.”
Exhibit B-1 also notes the following as the two main reasons for those engaged in
marijuana grow operations to divert electricity:
“Customer billing records can be subject to production orders by law enforcement
officials and used as evidence to secure search warrants;
An amendment to the provincial Safety Standards Act in 2006 obligates utilities, on
request, to provide municipalities with a report identifying premises with consumption
exceeding 93 kwh per day. “
80.1 Commission staff has prepared the following table. The table is based on the
following:
• The reduction in growth load due to marijuana grow operators moving to
alternative energy sources due to the AMI project is factored into the
FortisBC analysis per Exhibit B-3 by assuming a two percent growth in
sites per the Status Quo versus a one percent growth in sites in the AMI –
Probable scenario. Therefore, the incremental difference in total sites