Rookie mistake that cost me credibility with a client last year. Large office building in downtown Chicago, ComEd service. I calculated $31K in transformer loss credits going back 36 months, presented it to the client with full confidence. Utility came back and showed that the building owner actually owns the transformer, not ComEd. No credit available. Should have verified transformer ownership in the service agreement before doing any loss calculations. Client thought I didn't know what I was doing, took me months to rebuild that relationship. Always verify WHO owns the equipment before claiming any credits related to it.
Always double-check transformer ownership before claiming losses
Yuri, that's a painful lesson but an important one. AEP here in Indiana has some weird ownership arrangements, especially in older commercial districts. I've learned to request a copy of the electrical service agreement as part of my initial document request. It usually spells out exactly who owns what equipment. Also helps identify if there are any special rate riders or credits that might not show up on the regular bills.
CPS Energy down here in San Antonio makes it pretty clear on the bills who owns the transformer, but I've seen plenty of situations where it's ambiguous. The service agreement is definitely the way to go. Also learned to take photos of the transformer and meter setup during site visits - sometimes there are ownership tags or markings that aren't documented anywhere else.
APS here in Phoenix has gotten better about marking transformer ownership, but older installations can be tricky. What I do now is include transformer ownership verification as a standard line item in my audit proposals. Clients understand it's necessary due diligence, and it covers me if there's any confusion later. Better to spend an hour upfront than waste days on calculations that go nowhere.
Same issue with PG&E out here in Fresno. Had a manufacturing plant where the transformer ownership had actually changed hands twice over the years due to facility expansions. The current bills didn't reflect the actual ownership arrangement. Had to dig through 15 years of service modifications to figure out what was what. Now I always ask for a complete service history on any account over 10 years old.