Anyone else dealing with FirstEnergy's botched TOU window implementation in Ohio? We caught a Schedule TOU-GS client getting charged peak rates during what should be off-peak hours. The utility claims their interval data system automatically adjusts for DST but we're seeing 6AM-9AM getting hit with peak pricing when it should be off-peak until 10AM. Client's October bill alone shows $47,000 in overcharges. Their meter data shows proper time stamps but the billing engine is applying wrong rate windows. This has been going on since March and they're stonewalling our adjustment requests.
FirstEnergy TOU window shift nightmare - $47K impact
Jim, I've seen similar issues with Duke Energy Ohio. The problem is often in their MDM system not properly handling the seasonal TOU schedule transitions. Are you seeing this on Schedule TOU-GS or TOU-PS? The GS schedule has that 10AM peak start you mentioned. I'd recommend pulling the raw interval data and comparing it line by line with their tariff Schedule E-19. Document every discrepancy with timestamps. Duke paid out $180K on a similar case last year when we proved their billing engine was using outdated rate windows.
This is exactly why I always request the customer's load profile data in 15-minute intervals. Duke Energy Carolinas had a similar glitch in 2011 where their TOU-8 schedule was applying weekend rates on weekdays for about 200 commercial customers. The key is proving the meter recorded correctly but billing applied wrong rates. Get copies of both the raw AMI data and the processed billing determinants. The discrepancy will be obvious once you line them up side by side.
Had this exact issue with LG&E two months ago. Their Schedule TOU-Energy was billing summer peak hours year-round instead of switching to winter schedule. $23,000 overcharge on one customer. The problem was in their CIS system - it wasn't reading the seasonal effective dates properly. I had to escalate to the PSC before they would audit their own billing engine. Document everything and don't let them claim it's a one-off meter error when you know it's systemic.
Same nightmare with Alabama Power last spring. Their TOU-TG schedule was completely backwards - charging off-peak rates during peak hours and vice versa. Took four months and threats of PSC intervention to get them to admit their MDM upgrade corrupted the rate schedule tables. They eventually cut checks totaling $340K across 47 affected customers. The smoking gun was their own tariff document showing 1PM-7PM peak but customers were getting charged peak rates from 7PM-1AM instead.
This is why ComEd's new AMI rollout has me worried. They're switching everyone to TOU rates but their billing system already has issues with standard rate schedules. Jim, make sure you're checking not just the time windows but also the seasonal dates. I've seen utilities accidentally run summer TOU schedules year-round or apply weekday rates on holidays. The devil is always in the details with these complex tariff structures.
Update: FirstEnergy finally admitted fault after I provided three months of interval data analysis. Turns out their MDM system was using Eastern Standard Time year-round instead of adjusting for Daylight Saving Time. Every customer on TOU-GS and TOU-PS schedules was affected from March through October. They're issuing credits but the process is taking forever. Total estimated impact across their Ohio territory is over $2.1 million. Sometimes you just have to keep hammering until they crack.