Customer Services - Consumer Portal - Use Customer DER Function

Narrative
Steps
Additional Information

Narrative

Overview

A utility company wants to effectively use the DER System Controllers (DER) installed in customer sites to reduce its contract power purchase during peak load periods. These customers have signed up for net-metering and there are other customers who have signed up for load curtailment during peak demand periods in return for rebates. The utility would use its internal demand projection models and communications with the DER, along with guaranteed buy-back of power agreements and curtailment of major loads during peak periods, to implement economic peak rate power purchase under its contract power purchase agreements.

Description

A western utility has a residential customer base of 1 million meters. The meters are installed in single-family detached housing (SFD), single-family attached housing (SFA), apartment buildings, and mobile homes. The utility wishes to promote the use of renewable resources within its residential and light commercial client base.

The utility has demand relief requirements and has multiple demand response programs in place. It additionally supports active residential conservation programs as well as residential alternate, renewable, and distributed generation.

The results of all of these efforts are reported to the Public Utility Commission as part of their requirements to receive credit in rate base.

The utility decides to provide incentives for the residential and light commercial use of DER System Controllers (DER) by offering a guaranteed buy-back of power under specific conditions. The plan requires the customers to install DER with their own resources and the utility will purchase power delivered to the grid (specified in DER regulations) during periods of high demand.

Additionally the utility offers demand responsive programs wherein customers receive financial incentives for curtailing HVAC, pool pumps, and electric water heaters during peak demand periods.

A specific subset (100 total) of the customers participating in these programs resides on a congested Transmission Service Provider feeder in a specific geographic area of the service territory. Thus it’s advantageous for the utility to “involve” these customers during times of peak demand or high purchase power contractual periods.

The issues confronting the utility during seasonal high demand periods are:

Ø They need to know which homes of the 100 have DER installed, the size of the DER (kW) and the type of DER (solar PV, generator, etc.

Ø They need to know which customers have signed net-metering contracts, and which customers participate in incentivized load control programs.

Ø They need to have access to purchase power contract pricing information

The utility enters into a typical high demand period; ambient temperatures are rising and HVAC loads are increasing. The utility has orchestrated a “smart system” approach and goes through the following procedures.

1. The utility interrogates primary line meters on the Transmission Service Provider feeder and starts to continuously monitor line loading. The utility has developed a model to assess the primary Meter Device load ramp and can predict when the feeder will become overloaded at the monitored rate-of-change. The model predicts that at the present rate of change the line will become critical within one hour.

2. Based on this fact, the utility calls up an internal database for that specific geographic area and determines which customers have DER and how much they have (kW). Based on the database results the utility interrogates the customer portals to assess which units are already on line and which ones are available to be called up (available units must provide an “availability” signal as part of their contract with the utility).

3. The utility notifies the customers that specific DER units will be called up within 30 minutes. The DER is called on line at a specific time and the contractual buy-back rate goes into effect (the rate is guaranteed at 90% of purchase power at that time period, with the 10% differential going into system O&M). Thus the utility is now buying DER power at 90% of a purchase power rate that is determined by calling up the utility’s purchase power contracts interactive spot-power database.

4. The customers net-meters are now supplying the utility enterprise with delivered power for a prescribed time that must be credited to the customer’s account and eventually show up on their monthly invoice as a credit.

5. The utility continues to monitor the primary meters and determines that the acquired DER has slowed the rate of change, but the system will still overload during the peak demand period. Thus it decides to curtail customers participating in ongoing demand reduction programs.

6. The utility interrogates the specific customers on the feeder and determines which customers have controllable loads that are in service. The utility sends out a signal that advises of an upcoming curtailment and then reads the primary Meter Device just before the curtailment signal is sent, and 15 minutes after the curtailment signal is sent.

7. The utility determines that the peak demand problem has been averted and does not elect to purchase expensive power under contract.

8. The billing department now calculates the amount of money to reimburse each DER participating customer based on agreed upon rates and for the measured time period.

9. The billing department calculates the amount of incentives to pay each of the participating DSM customers. Free-riders are subtracted from the customers to be rewarded as are those that overrode the event (an option of the program.)

Steps

#	Event	Name of Process/Activity	Description of Process/Activity	Information Producer	Information Receiver	Name of Info Exchanged	IntelliGrid Architecture Environments
1.1	Transmission Service Provider Feeder Line Meter Device Query	Demand data and HVAC load data	DER system receives ambient temperature, demand data and HVAC load data	Utility Transmission Service Provider data	DER System Controller	Ambient temperature and load data exceeding specified threshold values	DER Monitoring and Control
1.2		Check feeder overload projection	DER system queries utility’s load prediction model	DER System Controller	Load Prediction Model	System data for use by the model	DER Monitoring and Control
1.3		Identifies line at risk of overload	Load prediction model identifies feeder line at risk of overload event	Load Prediction Model	DER System Controller	Information identifying feeder at risk	DER Monitoring and Control
1.4	Identifies feeder line at risk of overload	Activates DER program for identified feeder line	DER system generates trigger to activate DER program for the identified feeder line	DER System Controller	DER Database	Activation trigger for DER program activities	DER Monitoring and Control
2.1	DER and Demand Reduction Program Database Activation Order	DER system determines DER capacity	DER system queries DER database to determine power capacity from customers in the affected segment	DER System Controller , Transmission Service Provider system, DER Database	DER System Controller	Amount and types of power that can be obtained from the customers participating in the DER program	DER Monitoring and Control
2.1.1		Actual available power from the targeted customers	DER system signals identified customers to determine availability	DER System Controller , Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	DER System Controller	Actual available power from the targeted customers	DER Monitoring and Control
2.1.2	DER systems signals to check for availability	Activation alert to customers on pending program activation	DER system alerts customers with available power on system activation in 30 minutes	DER System Controller	Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	Activation alert to customers on pending program activation	DER Monitoring and Control
2.2		Signal to turn on DER equipment at available customer sites	DER system turns on DER equipment at targeted customers’ sites	DER System Controller	Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	Signal to turn on DER equipment at available customer sites	DER Monitoring and Control
2.3		Record energy delivered to the grid	Alert Customer Communication Portal at conforming DER customers to record power delivery	DER System Controller	Customer Communication Portal, Customer Net-Metering Device -Meter Device	Information on amount of power and duration of power delivered to the grid	DER Monitoring and Control
2.4		Delay buying power on spot-market	Signal Purchasing Selling Entity to delay spot-market power purchase	DER System Controller	Purchasing Selling Entity	Delay buying decision for power purchase on spot-market	DER Monitoring and Control
2.5		Determine contract power buy-back rate	Query utility’s spot-market power database to determine contract power rate	Purchase Power Contracts Interactive Spot-Power Spot Price Database -	DER System Controller , DER Database, Customer Billing System	Power buy-back rate applicable to power from customer DER to utility grid	DER Monitoring and Control
2.6		On-going tracking feeder overload	On-going tracking feeder overload condition and load prediction model	Load Prediction Model and Transmission Service Provider Grid	DER System Controller	Status data indicating the need for DER power from customers	DER Monitoring and Control
2.7		Identify Demand Reduction Program Database participating customers	Generate query to Demand Reduction Program Database Database to identify participating customers in the affected grid line	Demand Reduction Program Database	DER System Controller	List of customers participating in the Demand Reduction Program Database load curtailment program	DER Monitoring and Control
2.7.1		Trigger Demand Reduction Program Database load curtailment alert	Trigger Demand Reduction Program Database load curtailment alert signal to participating Demand Reduction Program Database customers	Demand Reduction Program Database	Customer Communication Portal and DLC Switch Controller	Signal alerting identified customers of load curtailment	DER Monitoring and Control
2.7.2	Trigger Demand Reduction Program Database load curtailment alert	Monitor load curtailment	Monitor load curtailment in progress [to ensure customer has not chosen to override the curtailment]	Demand Reduction Program Database	Customer Communication Portal, DLC Switch Controller and Meter Device	Verify load curtailment for the duration of the event	DER Monitoring and Control
2.7.3		Record of curtailment at details at customer site	Alert Customer Communication Portal to record duration and details of load curtailed	Customer Communication Portal	Meter Device and DLC Switch Controller	Record of curtailment at details at customer site	DER Monitoring and Control
3.1	Monitor T&D data	Predict if DER program and Demand Reduction Program Database can be terminated	Load Prediction Model and T &D data indicate DER and Demand Reduction Program Database activation can be terminated	Load Prediction Model and Transmission Service Provider Grid	DER System Controller	Trigger to initiate DER event termination	DER Monitoring and Control
3.2	DER program and Demand Reduction Program Database can be terminated	DER System Controller initiates termination sequencing	DER System Controller initiates orderly sequencing DER program and Demand Reduction Program Database event termination	DER System Controller , DER Database	Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	Message to customer DER unit on shutdown schedule	DER Monitoring and Control
3.2.1		Transmit DER turn-off signal	Transmit DER turn-off signal to each customer as per the schedule	DER System Controller	Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	Signal to individual DER unit to terminate power delivery	DER Monitoring and Control
3.2.1.1	Transmit DER turn-off signal	Confirmation of power delivery turn-off	Confirmation by customer unit of power delivery termination	Customer Communication Portal, DER System Controller	DER System Controller	Positive acknowledgment of system turn-off	DER Monitoring and Control
3.2.2	Transmit Demand Reduction Program Database Order Termination	Transmit signal to turn on curtailed loads	Transmit signal to turn on curtailed loads to participating customers	Demand Reduction Program Database	Customer Communication Portal, DLC Switch Controller	Signal to terminate load curtailment activity	DER Monitoring and Control
3.2.2.1	Transmit signal to turn on curtailed loads	Confirmation of load curtailment	Confirmation of customer of terminating load curtailment	Customer Communication Portal	DER System Controller	Positive acknowledgment of Demand Reduction Program Database event termination	DER Monitoring and Control
3.3		Power delivered during DER event	Customer site transmits net power delivery during DER event	Customer Communication Portal, Customer Net-Metering Device -Meter Device	DER Database	Details of amount of power delivered, duration of power delivered during the DER event	DER Monitoring and Control
3.3.1		Generate power delivery and rate information	Delivered power information and applicable rate data sent to billing system	DER System Controller , DER Database	Customer Billing System	Amount and details of credit to be issued to customer for power delivered during the DER event	DER Monitoring and Control
3.3.1.1		Amount of power purchase avoided due to DER program	Delivered power by customer DER units and peak load averted data to Purchasing Selling Entity	DER Database	Purchasing Selling Entity	Amount of power purchase avoided due to DER program activation	DER Monitoring and Control
3.4	Demand Reduction Program Database Event	Customer site transmits Demand Reduction Program Database event data	Customer site transmits curtailed load data during the Demand Reduction Program Database event	Customer Communication Portal, Meter Device	Demand Reduction Program Database	Details of loads curtailed, duration of curtailment, and amount of power consumption saved	DER Monitoring and Control
3.4.1		Customer site transmits Demand Reduction Program Database event data for billing	Curtailed load and duration information to billing system	Demand Reduction Program Database	Customer Billing System	Amount of credits to be applied to customer for load curtailed during the Demand Reduction Program Database event	DER Monitoring and Control
3.4.1.1		Amount of power purchase avoided due to Demand Reduction Program Database activation	Peak load demand averted data to Purchasing Selling Entity	Demand Reduction Program Database	Purchasing Selling Entity	Amount of power purchase avoided due to Demand Reduction Program Database activation	DER Monitoring and Control
3.4.2		Signal no additional DER power to be purchased	Signal Purchasing Selling Entity that no additional power needs to be purchased	DER System Controller	Purchasing Selling Entity	Finalize decision not to purchase power in spot-power market	DER Monitoring and Control
3.5	DER and Demand Reduction Program Database event	Get credit for DER and Demand Reduction Program Database from Public Utility Commission	Submit total load averted [from DER program and Demand Reduction Program Database activities] to Public Utility Commission for awarding rate credits	DER System Controller , Demand Reduction Program Database	Public Utility Commission	Details of power load averted due to the DER Program and DER activities	DER Monitoring and Control

Additional Information

Actor (Stakeholder) Roles

*Grouping (Community) ^,*		*Group Description*
*Customer Site*		*Those entities that are located at customer’s premises*
*Actor Name*	*Actor Type (person, device, system etc.)*	*Actor Description*
Customer	Person	One signed up to participate in the DER System Controller (DER) program.
Customer Communication Portal	System	System handling communications function at customer’s premises [in this case, communications with the installed DER, net-Meter Device , power quality system and the utility’s DER operations]
Net-Metering Device -Meter Device	Device	Device that can measure and transmit the net flow of power to the customer [i.e., it measures power flow in both directions – into the customer premises from the utility and out to the utility from customer premises – and generates a net Meter Device data that can be used by the utility to bill the customer accordingly]
DER System Controller	System	System at the customer site that generates power and is set up to be brought online at the demand of the utility company
Meter Device	System	System for transmitting Meter Device data on demand to the utility.
DLC Switch Controller	Device	Device performing cycling of major load, such as the air conditioning unit, pool pump heater, etc

*Grouping (Community) ^,*		*Group Description*
*Load Serving Entity DER System Controller Operations*		Those entities that are charged with managing the DER System Controller functions for the power company to optimize the loading of the Transmission & Distribution grid
*Actor Name*	*Actor Type (person, device, system etc.)*	*Actor Description*
DER System Controller	System	DER System Controller Center: System at the power company that handles DER operations [such as the system load model, decisions on when to initiate DER activities, triggering communications with other utility departments and the DER program participants, etc]
Line Meter Device	Device	Device that measures loading of feeder line in specific Transmission Service Provider grid sectors of the utility
Transmission & Distribution Feeder	System	System that handles the Transmission Service Provider function to specific geographic sector in utility’s service area.
DER Database	System	System that contains information about customers participating in the DER program, their location, details of their system (such as DER installed, the size of the DER (kW) and the type of DER (solar PV, generator, etc)), whether they have signed net-metering contract, and so on.
Customer Billing System	System	System that handles generation of bills for the services provided to the customer
Customer Id	Device	A common customer identification key that is used by service providers authorized by the customer to identify all of their service accounts
Customer Information Database	System	System that contains information about customer accounts of the power company
Demand Reduction Program Database	System	Demand Reduction Program [Demand Reduction Program Database] Database: System that contains information about all of the Demand Reduction Programs offered by the utility, participation requirements, equipment details and links to customer billing system for passing incentive information
Demand Response Program Manager	Person	Person managing the Demand Reduction Program Database at the utility
Purchase Power Contracts Interactive Spot-Power Spot Price Database	System	System used by the utility to track and determine the spot price of power that it can purchase under its existing contracts
Load Prediction Model	System	System that a models feeder load by automatically tracking weather, load and other conditions to project overload events at specific feeder lines and connected to the DER database
Utility Communications Network	System	System responsible for managing communications between the utility and the participants in the DER program [for functions such as remote Meter Device reading, controlling DER units at customer sites, monitoring net-meters and other related communications activities]

*Grouping (Community) ^,*		*Group Description*
*Others*		*Those entities that are involved in this activity, but do not fit in any of the Groupings above*
*Actor Name*	*Actor Type (person, device, system etc.)*	*Actor Description*
Metering	Person	Department at the utility that manages meters and their installation at the customer site
Purchasing Selling Entity	Person	Department at the utility company that handles procurement of power resources for the utility company.
Public Utility Commission	Person	State Public Utility Commission {PUC): The entity that receives results of the utility’s demand reduction program.
Transmission Service Provider	System	Transmission & Distribution (Transmission Service Provider) Grid : System at the utility company that manages the Transmission and Distribution grid for the utility company and monitors for loading factors, etc.
Utility Communications Network	System	System responsible for managing communications between the utility and the participants in the DER program [for functions such as remote Meter Device reading, controlling DER units at customer sites, monitoring net-meters and other related communications activities].
Energy Service Provider
Service Provider
Specified Loads
Meter Device
Meter Device

Information exchanged

*Information Object Name*	*Information Object Description*
Transmission Service Provider Feeder Line Meter Device Query	Query from utility’s DER Center to Transmission Service Provider feeder line Meter Device to determine the potential for line overload and generating the trigger to activate the DER program in the affected segment
DER Activation Order	System order to initiate DER ahead of projected line overload, communications to the participating customers to alert the onset of DER, verifying DER availability at each customer site, bringing online selected DER at customer sites, alerting the Customer Communication Portal and net-Meter Device at each site to record delivered power and flagging the power delivered for appropriate payment by the billing system
Demand Reduction Program Database Implementation	System order to alert customers on Demand Reduction Program Database to curtail participating loads, track curtailed loads and transmit curtailment information to the system for applying credits on termination of the curtailment order
DER Order Termination	System order to terminate the DER at the customer site based on model projection of averting peak demand problem, crediting each customer for power delivered as per applicable rates, and decision on not purchasing power under contract from other sources

Activities/Services

*Activity/Service Name*	*Activities/Services Provided*
Determine Potential Feeder Peak Load Problem	Based on ambient temperatures and HVAC loads crossing the threshold values, trigger a query to utility feeder load model to determine if a specific feeder line will face overload problem; if the model predicts potential overload problem, trigger activation of DER activities for that sector
Initiate DER Program Activation	Initiate actions to activate DER program activities for the targeted feeder line: query DER database to flag DER customers in the affected segment, identify amount of power (kW) available from registered DER from customers in that segment, generate a query to those customers to determine their DER system availability and generate an alert to those with available DER system to indicate potential program activation within 30 minutes
Implement DER	Activate DER systems at customers already alerted and with available systems, alert the Customer Communication Portal and net-meters at those locations to record power delivered and duration of power delivery, activate PQ monitoring of delivered power to verify compliance with system requirements, drop non-complying units from the grid and flag for notice after the event, track feeder load to determine timing for program termination and hold-off contract power purchase on spot market during the DER program period
Implement Demand Reduction Program Database	On indication by the power model to initiate load shedding, contact customers participating in the Demand Reduction Program Database to alert them about load curtailment in 15 minutes, curtail specified loads, monitor the duration and load curtailed, and continue the curtailment till system requests termination of the Demand Reduction Program Database event
Terminate DER and Demand Reduction Program Database	On indication by the power model of the end of the projected overload problem for the feeder line, send out a trigger to customer DER systems supplying power to terminate operation, record power supplied and duration of power supply, send out trigger to Demand Reduction Program Database customers to turn on curtailed load, finalize decision not to buy power under spot-market purchase contract and revert system back to monitoring mode for next overload situation
Complete Post-DER and Demand Reduction Program Database Program Activities	Initiate actions to transmit net-metering data to billing to generate credit to customers for the power supplied at the contractual buy-back rate, transmit curtailed load and curtailment duration for participating Demand Reduction Program Database customers to the billing system for applying applicable incentive credits, and notify all customers in the DER program and Demand Reduction Program Database that the current DER and Demand Reduction Program Database event has been successfully terminated

Contracts/Regulations

*Contract/Regulation*	*Impact of Contract/Regulation on Function*
DER Program Tariffs	Specifications of DER equipment installed at customer site, net-metering equipment at customer site, contractual buy-back rates, PQ acceptance criteria and power supply credits applied to customer bill
Demand Reduction Program Tariffs	Equipment installed at customer site, cycling regime implemented and incentive rewards applied to customer bill

*Policy*	*From Actor*	*May*	*Shall Not*	*Shall*	*Description (verb)*	*To Actor*
Install DER Equipment	Customer			X	Customer needs to install DER system at site to participate in the program	Energy Service Provider
Install Net-Metering Device -Meter	Energy Service Provider			X	Install specified net-metering equipment at customer site	Customer
Activate DER	Energy Service Provider	X			Activate and bring online customer’s DER	Customer
Participate in Demand Reduction Program Database	Customer	X			Customer needs to agree to participate in the Demand Reduction Program Database and permit the utility to curtail specified loads during peak demand periods	Energy Service Provider
Buy-back Power During DER Event	Energy Service Provider			X	Utility shall buy-back power at contract rates from customer’s DER during a DER event if the customer’s delivered power meets PQ criteria	Customer
Cycle Energy to Equipment	Energy Service Provider	X			Cycle power to air conditioning unit on utility trigger	Specified Loads
Provide Load Control Equipment	Service Provider			X	Install specified equipment at customer site	Customer
Provide Incentive Rewards	Energy Service Provider			X	Provide incentive reward on customer energy bill	Customer

*Constraint*	*Type*	*Description*	*Applies to*
Program Participation	System Availability	A customer can participate in a given DER event only if the DER system is in “available” state	Selecting customer for DER participation
Load Curtailment	Turn Off Loads	Customer to permit specified major loads [such as HVAC, Pool Pump, etc] to be turned off by the utility	Customer’s eligibility for participation in the program to receive incentives
Reward Period	Inactive	Months of the year when the program is not active [i.e., non-summer months for this program]	No incentive reward provided
Energy Usage	Minimum Threshold	Tracked energy usage to meet or exceed program requirements to qualify to participate in the program and receive incentive reward on bill	Eligibility to continue participation in the program
Power Buy-back	Buy-back Rate	On DER program activation and customer DER meeting availability criteria, the utility is obligated to buy-back power at 90% purchased power rate at that time	Rate paid by the utility to customer for power delivered to the grid