I'm still pretty new to this business and made what I now know is a classic beginner mistake. Was auditing a small manufacturing plant here in Rapid City served by Black Hills Energy. The bills looked reasonable, demand charges seemed in line with similar facilities. I calculated maybe $2,000 in annual savings through some minor rate optimizations. Submitted my report feeling pretty good. Two weeks later the client calls me back - they had their engineer double-check my work and discovered I had completely missed the meter multiplier. It was 10x but I had been calculating everything at face value. The actual monthly demand was 850 kW, not 85 kW like I thought. Suddenly a completely different rate schedule made sense and the real savings were $15,000 annually. Client was understanding but I felt like an idiot. Always, ALWAYS check those meter multipliers first thing now.
Rookie mistake: Ignored meter multipliers and cost client $15K
Oh no Joanne, that's painful but we've all been there! Chugach Electric has some really confusing meter setups and I made a similar mistake my second year. The multipliers aren't always obvious on the bills either. Now I literally write the multiplier in big red letters at the top of every analysis. It's the first thing I verify before I do any calculations. You'll never make that mistake again though - that's for sure!
This is such a common error especially for newer auditors. Otter Tail Power has some facilities with 40x multipliers and if you miss that you're completely off base. I created a simple checklist that I go through on every single audit - meter multiplier is literally item #1. Takes 30 seconds to verify but prevents these kinds of disasters. Thanks for sharing your story, it will help other newbies avoid the same trap.
Had the exact opposite problem once with Xcel Energy - assumed there was a multiplier when there wasn't and calculated savings that didn't exist. The client was excited about a $20K annual reduction that was pure fantasy. Embarrassing phone call to make. Now I always ask for a copy of the actual meter installation record if I have any doubts about the setup.
Joanne you're definitely not alone on this one. Eugene Water & Electric has some older industrial meters that are tricky to interpret. The good news is you caught it before any money changed hands and the client got their proper savings in the end. That's what matters. This kind of attention to detail is what separates good auditors from great ones - and you clearly learned the lesson well.