Anyone else dealing with SMUD's interval data quality issues? I've got a client on Schedule GS-TOU1 and their March data is missing about 200 intervals scattered throughout the month. SMUD claims it's AMI communication issues but they're still billing estimated demand. This is costing my client an extra $3,200 in demand charges because their estimation methodology is completely wrong. They're using peak intervals from adjacent days instead of actual load profile analysis.
SMUD data validation nightmare - missing intervals everywhere
Jennifer, Idaho Power had similar AMI issues last year. The key is demanding they use your actual load profile for estimation, not their generic algorithms. File a formal data request for their estimation methodology documentation. Most utilities have terrible estimation procedures that don't account for customer-specific load patterns.
Warren's right about the estimation methodology. PPL here in Pennsylvania was doing the same thing - using system load curves instead of customer historical data. I won a $12K adjustment by proving their estimation violated FERC guidelines. SMUD should be using at least 30 days of historical intervals to model missing data points.
Thanks Warren and Sylvia. I pulled 6 months of historical data and built my own load profile model. Shows the actual missing intervals would have averaged 85kW vs SMUD's 110kW estimates. That's a 25kW difference on billing demand calculation. Filing a complaint with CPUC this week. SMUD needs to fix their AMI system or stop billing estimated data as actual.
Jennifer, document the AMI communication timestamps too. PSO tried to claim missing intervals were during scheduled maintenance windows, but the timestamps showed they were random communication failures. If SMUD can't maintain reliable data collection, they shouldn't be allowed to bill on estimated demand. Good luck with CPUC.