I've got a client here in Cleveland with a FirstEnergy account showing some bizarre interval data. We're seeing 15-minute demand readings that spike from 150 kW to 890 kW then back down to 160 kW within a single hour. The facility is a small manufacturing plant that couldn't physically draw that kind of load. Has anyone seen meter communication errors create phantom demand spikes like this? The billing demand is hitting $12,000/month because of these anomalies and FirstEnergy is being stubborn about investigating.
FirstEnergy 15-min data showing impossible demand spikes
Frank, I've seen similar issues with TVA meters here in Knoxville. Usually it's a communication protocol error between the meter and the head-end system. The meter records correct data but the transmission gets corrupted. Have you requested the raw meter data directly from the meter memory? That'll tell you if it's a metering issue or a data transmission problem. Also check if the spikes correlate with specific times - sometimes it's interference from other equipment.
We had this exact issue with Ohio Edison last year. Turned out to be a scaling factor error in their billing system. The meter was reading correctly but their MDM system was applying the wrong multiplier to certain intervals. Cost our client $18,000 in overbilling before we caught it. Push FirstEnergy for the raw interval data and compare it to what shows up in their billing system.
Frank, what type of meter are they using? We've seen issues with some Landis+Gyr meters where power quality events can cause data corruption in the 15-minute registers. If you're seeing consistent patterns in the spike timing, it might be related to motor starts or other equipment cycling. Georgia Power had a similar issue where arc welding equipment was creating false demand readings.
Thanks everyone. Jim, you nailed it - it was a multiplier error in their MDM system. FirstEnergy finally admitted the meter CT ratio wasn't properly configured in their billing database. They were applying a 400:5 multiplier when it should have been 200:5. Three months of overbilling totaling $34,000. Sometimes you just have to keep pushing until they look at the right thing.
Great catch Frank! This is why we always request the meter test reports and CT ratios upfront. Duke Energy here in Charlotte has gotten better about documentation but we still find configuration errors regularly. Always worth double-checking the basic meter setup before diving into complex power quality analysis.
Frank, glad you got this resolved. For future reference, FirstEnergy's interval data exports include a data quality flag field that would have shown "estimated" or "questionable" for those corrupted intervals. Most auditors miss that column but it's incredibly useful for identifying systematic problems like this CT ratio issue.
This thread should be pinned. Configuration errors are probably 40% of the interval data problems we see with CPS Energy down here. The utilities have gotten so automated that basic setup mistakes slip through and nobody catches them until the customer gets a huge bill. Always verify the fundamentals first.