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

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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
88.0 Reference: Project Costs and Benefits
Response:
Exhibit B-1, Tab 5.0, Section 5.3.2, pp. 87-88
Energy Theft Reduction
Phase 1 – Theft Detection Improvements
Submission Date:
October 5, 2012
Page 211
FortisBC states on page 87 and 88 of the Application that Phase 1 Theft Detection
Improvements comprise:
“Tamper Detection - Advanced meters have a tamper detection feature that will
automatically notify FortisBC if they have been removed from the meter socket, inverted
or otherwise manipulated. The tamper flags from the AMI system will begin to provide
additional leads for FortisBC investigators as soon as deployment begins in 2014.
Improved Data Quality - Advanced meters are capable of recording energy consumption,
instantaneous load, and voltage at frequent intervals whereas electro-mechanical meters
collect only peak load and the total energy used every 60 days. A review of these
consumption files using existing data analysis tools will increase both the quality 1 and
the number of leads on potential theft sites.
On-Demand Meter Readings - On-demand meter reading enhances field investigator
productivity by eliminating the need to physically read meters to verify theft. This feature
eliminates return trips to premises under investigation and improves the safety of the
investigator by reducing the need to access premises potentially engaged in illegal
activities.”
88.1 Based on FortisBC experience to date, what proportion of electricity theft by
marijuana grow operations results from meter tampering which could be
identified by the advanced meter tamper detection feature?
FortisBC estimates that 5 percent of electricity theft involves meter tampering.
Meter tampering to facilitate electricity theft consists in any given case of one or more of several
activities, all of which can be detected by the proposed AMI system:
a) removing the meter and installing bypass in the meter socket;
b) placing the meter in an up-side down position between meter reads to reduce
recorded readings; and
c) replacing the legitimate meter with another meter in between meter reader visits.