= Toward Time-of-Use

An IESO Smart Metering Entity Newsletter

November 16, 2010

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“Toward Time-of-Use” is a newsletter for Local Distribution Company (LDC) sta= ff and service agents working with the Smart Metering Entity (SME) as well as other industry stakeholders.

Send an email to the SME to subscribe to the newsletter, provide feedback or submit general inquiries and story ideas. Visit the website, www.smi-ieso.ca, regularly for the latest SME news, information and documents.

IESO receives clean audit for MDM/R operations

An external audit of the IESO’s Meter Data Management and Repository (MD= M/R) operations processes and procedures was recently completed with the organization receiving an unqualified opinion for the audit period April 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2010. Read the full article...

SME holiday office hours and MDM/R support update

All Meter Data Management and Repository (MDM/R) systems, including the product= ion and testing systems (Sandbox and Quality Assurance), will be available duri= ng the month of December along with full Smart Metering Entity (SME) staff support. Read the full article...

Ask the Trainer: What does the MDM/R do when an event occ= urs during a billing cycle? =

When a Local Distribution Company sends a billing quantity request to the MDM/R,= the MDM/R delivers a billing quantity response, which includes the usage data t= he LDC requested for billing, for a Service Delivery Point (SDP). In certain instances, particularly when a billing “event” occurs, the MDM/R will deliver more than one billing quantity response to an LDC for a billing cycle. This typically occurs for the following billing events:

· = A price or sea= son change: For the Regulated Price Plan = rates changes May 1 or Nov. 1, the MDM/R will automatically split the billing quantities that are delivered to the LDC (or, for example, provide time-of-= use data for a period that ends Oct. 31 and another set of TOU data for a period that starts Nov. 1).

· = When the accou= nt to SDP relationship changes during a billing period (for example, if a customer moves): If the LDC provides the relationship change to the MDM/R, the MDM/R will automatically split the billing quantities at the time of the move. The LDC= may then choose to send the final bill at the time of the move or wait until the billing cycle ends.

· = If the framing structure for an SDP changes: A framing structure refers to how the M= DM/R totals daily usage based on the type of data the LDC wants to display (for example, TOU, periodic or hourly). In this case, the MDM/R will deliver two sets (or lines) of billing quantities to the LDC based on the previous data type and the new one identified.*

*This feature = will be available in the EnergyIP 7.0 software relea= se. With EnergyIP version 6.3, the MDM/R does not s= plit billing quantities.

Do you have a question for the IESO SME trainer? (smartmeteringentity@ieso.ca)=

Industry News

Click on the news outlet links below to read the latest s= mart metering and energy management technology news from around the world. =

· &n= bsp; Smart grid improvements ahead (United Press International, Nov. 11)

· &n= bsp; Clever use of smart met= ers saves energy (CBC.ca, Oct. 26))

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Resources

(Note: All bullets link to websites.)

·         SME website

·         Ministry of Ener= gy

·         Ontario Energy B= oard

·         I would like to = help my LDC begin the MDM/R integration process (mdmr.registration@ieso.ca)

·         My LDC is proces= sing smart meter data in the MDM/R production system (mdmr.support@ieso.ca)

In general, each LDC must complete the following activiti= es before billing its customers on TOU rates:

1.    Its smart meters must be deployed;

2.    It must be registered with the SME, test its systems with the MDM/R and transi= tion to the MDM/R production system;

3.    Its interval smart meter data must be flowing into the MDM/R production system = on a daily basis;

4.    LDC customers must be informed of their upcoming transition to TOU billing.

LDCs are also required to report their smart metering and TOU progress on a mont= hly basis to the Ontario Energy Board.

= The IESO is responsible for managing Ontario’s bulk electricity system and operating the wholesale electricity market. As the Smart Metering Entity, t= he IESO manages the Smart Metering Initiative’s implementation, operates= the provincial Meter Data Management and Repository (MDM/R) and ensures LDC sma= rt meter and IT systems integrate with it to support provincial time-of-use (T= OU) rate objectives. <= /span>

If you would p= refer not to receive this newsletter, please send an email to the SME= .