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 212
88.1.1 To what extent could meter tampering be detected by the meter reader?
Please explain.
The meter tampering related to marijuana grow operations occurs between meter reader visits
and is generally difficult for meter readers to detect. On occasion a reader or other field
employee may be dispatched to the premise in between reads to exchange a meter or to
confirm the reading is correct and will report meter tampering. Please refer to the response to
BCUC IR1 Q88.1.
Response:
88.2 Would FortisBC obtain sufficient data quality improvement for theft detection
through installation of advanced meters at the distribution feeder level, rather
than at individual customer sites? Please explain why or why not.
Please see responses to BCUC IR1 Q78.3.1, Q82.4, and Q84.1.
Response:
88.2.1 Please confirm that FortisBC has existing data analysis tools to review
consumption files from HH meters at individual customer sites in order to
identify potential theft.
Confirmed. Please refer to the response to BCUC IR1 Q54.2.
Response:
88.3 Please explain how FortisBC would be able to determine electricity theft is
occurring without a visit to the site.
Confirmation of electricity theft is currently determined by measuring load at the transformer and
concurrently measuring consumption on the meter. Transformer measurements can usually be
done at the edge of the property while meter readings require a presence on the customer