Energy Accounting & Meter Data

Achieving Operations Excellence

March 9-10, 2020 | Atlanta, GA ::

0320-energy-accounting

Utility energy accounting generally describes the process by which a utility tracks, sorts, records and reports the aggregate volume of internal and external power flows generated and/or distributed by its system(s).  Energy accounting data are the root source for settlement with counterparties, markets, client billing, regulatory reporting and financial reporting.  They are a driver for 1) tracking commodity exchange, 2) measuring performance and 3) assigning costs. 

The energy accounting process itself is a complex combination of software, work-flows and staff that involves virtually every division and function of the utility.  All those functions rely heavily on the collection of customer data through meters.  It is critical, therefore, that detailed scrutiny is applied to ensuring meter data accuracy.   A deep understanding of meter data quality dimensions, variables and how to manage them is requisite for all utility staff involved in the energy accounting chain:

• Plant managers are concerned that the data are accurate to track their unit’s performance
• Transmission billing groups are concerned that errors will translate into customer bills and inaccurate financial results, which will require re-billing
• Marketers are concerned that inaccurate values can result in additional charges related to uplift and getting billed for revenue neutrality charges that may not be tied to the company
• Marketing and transmission operation groups are concerned when telemetry data doesn’t closely match the measured revenue quality reported meter data
• Regulatory and financial groups become concerned when changes force them to update previously filed reports or having to annotate why financials have changed from prior published data

This course is designed to educate and enlighten utility staff who provide data to energy accounting solutions and those whose work relies on that data. The instruction begins with understanding how to handle meter data quality and identify where inaccurate meter data are impacting energy accounting along with the bottom-line. Each facet of energy accounting is reviewed and discussed.  The value of accurate data will be examined and how wholesale power markets monetize the differences.  For vertically integrated utilities that are not in an ISO or real-time balancing market, this course will quantify the inherent value associated with energy accounting errors that lead to undesired allocations and assignments. The program will also address the two most essential improvements mandated by smart grid innovations: 1) moving to 5-minute data interval reporting, and 2) utility system changes required to support the data volumes, accuracy and complexity demanded in today’s energy best practices.  It concludes with “lessons learned” in meter data management and energy accounting that have been witnessed across the industry.

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Learning Outcomes

• Identify energy accounting errors that translate into customer bills and inaccurate financial results
• Develop an awareness where inaccurate meter data causes market uplift charges and how revenue neutrality charges can be the cause of meter data error reporting
• Discuss how and why markets monetize meter data implementation
• Examine what’s required for full meter data quality awareness
• Review methods for estimating meter data and avoiding common pitfalls
• Discuss managing meter data related to dynamic tagging
• Illustrate the internal system requirements to support 5-minute metering complexities
• Analyze the compromises and true costs of relying on “home-grown” software solutions and spreadsheets for energy accounting
• Assess how changes in energy accounting of meter data impact the utility’s reporting and financials

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this event.

 

Requirements For Successful Completion Of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Case studies and PowerPoint presentations will be used in this program.

Monday, March 9, 2020

7:45 – 8:15 a.m. :: Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:15 – 8:30 a.m. :: Overview and Introductions

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. :: The Relationship Between Energy Accounting and Meter Data Quality Awareness

• Understanding the different meter data sources
• Expectations in source meter data
• Best practices in validating meter data
• Meter data quality requirements
• How can meter data validations be automated?
• What conditions trigger analyst intervention?

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 – 11:05 a.m. :: Having a Handle on Estimating Meter Data and Its Role in Accurate Energy Accounting

• What conditions force a company to temporarily or permanently estimate meter data?
• Common methods for estimating meter data
• What time frame do companies have to fix bad meter data?

11:05 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: Understanding the Meter Data Checkout Process

• How utilities differ in performing checkouts — hourly, daily, monthly
• How and when can automation reduce checkout process burden?
• What causes changes in checkouts?

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. :: Group Luncheon

1:00 – 1:50 p.m. :: Meter Calculation Modeling

• Simple vs complex modeling
• Multi-level vs linearized modeling
• Managing modeling effective calculation changes

1:50 – 2:40 p.m. :: Managing Meter Data Related to Dynamic Tagging

• Understanding the work-flow that initially populates dynamic tags and estimated meter data
• How does bad data occur and what is/are their financial impact ?
• Where should automation be used and when should analysts approve the results?

2:40 – 3:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

3:00 – 4:45 p.m. :: Supporting 5-Minute Metering Complexities

• Why is there a trend to move to 5-minute metering?
• Where is 5-minute metering most needed and expected?
• How to integrate 5-minute metering into the system

Tuesday, March 10, 2010

7:45 – 8:15 a.m. :: Continental Breakfast

8:15 – 9:45 a.m. :: Understanding How and Why Markets Monetize Meter Data Implementation

• Why does monetizing meter data matter to meter data validation?
• Why companies outside of markets should be concerned about monetizing the value of meter data
• What are the impacts of changing meter data in markets?
• Where do unexpected meter data errors materialize?

9:45 – 10:00 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. :: Uses of Meter Data within the Utility

• Know where meter data goes in the company
• Know how changes in data impact company financials
• Know how changes impact reporting

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: Meter Data “Lessons Learned” and Their Impact on Energy Accounting

• Lessons in upgrading and avoiding costly implementation problems
• Lessons in meter processing
  • Review actual events which led to significant problems
  • Discuss how best practices can mitigate or prevent significant events

12:00 p.m. :: Course Adjournment

Khai Le, Senior  Vice President, Power Costs Inc (PCI)

Khai Le is Senior Vice President of PCI, a supplier of power portfolio optimization software for power generation and trading companies.  Over the past 42 years, he has conducted over 700 seminars on market-based operations, bidding strategies, portfolio optimization, and shadow settlement for utilities and ISOs worldwide. He is currently working with market participants in CAISO, MISO, SPP, PJM, ISO-NE, and ERCOT to automate their bid-to-bill, portfolio-optimization, ETRM, and BA-operations workflows.    Mr. Le has authored more than 100 technical papers on unit commitment, hydro-thermal coordination, emission dispatch, optimization of ancillary services, post analysis, and short-term planning.  He received his BS from Harvey Mudd College and his MS from Carnegie Mellon University.  Mr. Le is a Fellow of the IEEE.

Maura Royston, Energy Accounting Process Supervisor for Electric System Operations, We Energies

Maura Royston is the Energy Accounting Process Supervisor for Electric System Operations at We Energies, part of the WEC Energy Group. With 13 years’ experience in Energy Accounting, she leads the team responsible for ensuring accurate energy accounting, coordination and negotiation with interconnected parties, and verified settlements. Ms Royston has spent about half of her 30 years at WEC Energy in Finance and half in Operations, with experience in everything from internal audit, to ‘closing the books’ to leading 5 system implementation or process improvement projects. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration-Accounting from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, and is a Certified Public Accountant in addition to a NERC Certified Reliability Coordinator.

Julie Rogers, Senior Manager, Power Costs Inc (PCI)

Julie Rogers is a senior manager at Power Costs Inc (PCI), joining the team in 2014 as an analyst for the Infrastructure and Analytics group, where she has expanded her experience working on specific product and deployment project software solutions. She currently serves as the product manager for the company’s Energy Accounting solution covering product development, client support and deployment projects for customers based in CAISO EIM, MISO, SPPIM, PJM markets and non-ISO controlled regions.
Prior to working at PCI, Julie worked at a regulated utility where she supported software systems and provided energy accounting services. Julie received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Missouri Southern State University and a Master of Science in Instructional Technology.

Justin Shearer, Director, Power Costs Inc (PCI)

Justin Shearer is a director at Power Costs Inc (PCI), joining the team in 2013.  He analyzed and developed settlements solutions, then developed and took over the product ownership management for the company’s CAISO EIM solution. In this role, he has actively participated in helping all PCI EIM clients successfully enter that market. Approximately two years ago Mr. Shearer began working in PCI’s Solution Management division that helps clients actively apply PCI solutions to meet clients’ ever-changing needs. Before his employment at PCI, Mr. Shearer was a quality assurance team lead for a multi-billion dollar hedge fund and a security class actions analyst for a leading financial services firm.  Mr. Shearer earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language from University of Oklahoma. He then received his MBA with a focus in MIS and supply chain management from the Price School of Business at the University of Oklahoma.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Energy Accounting & Meter Data

March 9-10, 2020 | Atlanta, GA

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before February 07, 2020 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800