I've been working on an audit for a food processing plant here in Spokane and discovered Avista has been applying the wrong TOU peak windows on Schedule 25 since October 2019. They've been using 7 AM to 10 PM peak hours instead of the correct 6 AM to 10 PM. Sounds minor but it's cost my client over $78,000 in the past 15 months. The morning production ramp-up from 6-7 AM should have been billed at peak rates. Anyone else seeing issues with Avista's TOU billing systems?
Avista TOU Rate Nightmare - Wrong Peak Windows Since 2019
Willa, that's frustrating but not surprising. We don't have Avista up here in Montana but I've seen similar issues with NorthWestern Energy where their billing system updates lag behind tariff changes. Did Avista file a tariff revision that moved the peak window start time?
Theresa's right about billing system lags. We see this constantly with Puget Sound Energy here in Seattle. When they update TOU schedules, there's often a 30-60 day delay before billing systems catch up. The problem is they rarely issue proactive credits for the interim period.
Actually the tariff didn't change - this appears to be a straight-up billing error. The published Schedule 25 has always shown 6 AM to 10 PM peak hours, but their system has been consistently applying 7 AM start time. I found the error by comparing interval data timestamps against the actual tariff language.
Willa - have you contacted the Washington UTC about this? If it's affecting multiple customers, they might want to investigate. LG&E here in Louisville had a similar systematic TOU error a few years back and the PSC ordered refunds for all affected customers.
Pete, yes I filed a complaint with WUTC last week. Also reached out to other auditors in the Avista territory to see if they've found similar issues. This could potentially affect hundreds of TOU customers if it's truly systematic.
Following this thread with interest. DTE here in Michigan has had their share of TOU billing glitches over the years. The key is documenting everything with screenshots of interval data and tariff comparisons. Makes the utility much more likely to cooperate on refunds.
Good advice Marcus. I've built a comprehensive case file with 15 months of interval data, tariff excerpts, and billing comparisons. Avista initially pushed back but now they're 'investigating' - usually means they found the error and are figuring out how to fix it quietly.
Willa, any update on this? I'm dealing with a similar situation with Entergy Arkansas where their TOU windows seem off by an hour. Wondering if there's a pattern with certain billing system vendors.
Bobby - Avista finally admitted the error and agreed to a $78,400 credit plus interest. They're also reviewing all Schedule 25 customers back to October 2019. Sounds like your Entergy issue might be related - a lot of utilities use the same billing platform vendors.
Great outcome Willa! This is exactly why detailed interval data analysis is so critical for TOU audits. These systematic errors can persist for years if nobody's checking the billing logic against published tariffs. Excellent detective work.