ami lessons learned

AMI Case Studies and

Lessons Learned

Notes from the FieldPrepared by Tom Lawton,TESCO

Abstract

• As many utilities have elected to deploy advanced metering systems and millions of new solid-state, microprocessor based end-points with communications under glass, there has been a dramatic shift in the approach to qualifying and certifying electricity meters.

• This presentation will highlight the need for a rigorous approach to meter certification as well as continued testing as both the meter and the communication module and the firmware to run both are upgraded and changed over the course of deployment.

• Examples of issues which have arisen over the course of various deployments along with varying approaches to and interpretations of the same ANSI tests by manufacturers will be discussed.

AMI Deployment

Common Features and Common Sources of Concern

• Compressed time frames for pre-deployment, pilots,

and deployment, pilots, and deployment• New features and functionality being added at a

tremendous rate• Bugs, fixes, improvements being implemented

constantly in the meter• Metering typically under represented or not

represented at all in AMI planning teams and AMI deployment teams.

• The need for testing throughout this process is rarely understood or even appreciated by AMI planning and deployment teams.

• Issues around certification testing and acceptance testing are initially seen simply as obstacles to staying on schedule and not as valuable safeguards against making potentially expensive mistakes

The Difference Between Meter Qualification, Meter Certification & Meter Acceptance Testing

• Meter Qualification – the easiest and least time consuming aspect of putting a new AMI technology in the field.

• Meter Certification – typically underestimated for the initial effort and unanticipated over the course of deployment.

• Meter Acceptance Testing – more than just accuracy testing. Includes functional, firmware and communication testing of all incoming shipments.

Managing Change – at the utility, at the vendor and from the suppliers to our vendor

• Every change is potentially important and should be treated this way.

• There is no “small change”.

• There is rarely the same level of testing done for both the meter and the communication device and never for the meter and the communication module as an integrated device.

• Are ANSI tests without the communication module integrated always suitable from a business, commission and customer view point.

And who is left standing that can do some of these things at each step in the process?

Who Should be Doing What?

•Meter Vendors•Communication device vendors•AMI Team•Metering Group•Third Party test Labs - Where are the risks? - How closely should each

participant be held accountable and at which steps?

Effective Methodologies

• Define the difference between each of the three types of testing and certification

• Define the testing protocols to be used – talk to other utilities, vendors, third party labs. Define your own and be prepared for them to evolve over the course of your project

• Keep to the protocols. Approvals, Failures (do not term this “has not passed yet”), Deviations should all be documented

DEFINEDEFINE

EVOLVEEVOLVE

FOLLOWFOLLOW

Typical Protocols:

• AMI Teams typically do a good job of defining what they expect the meters and communications devices to do.

• Meter Services can take this specifications document and check to see if the devices proposed can handle these tasks.

Ways to stay out of trouble and to set yourself up for success in the subsequent steps:

• Define the testing protocols to be used – talk to other utilities, vendors, third party labs. Define your own and be prepared for them to evolve over the course of your project.

• Keep to the protocols. Approvals, Failures (do not term this “has not passed yet”), Deviations should all be documented.

• Check for yourself. If a feature is advertised then you should be able to verify the feature is functional and whether this feature meets your needs. When purchasing a “Smart” meter, know what you are getting.

Qualification Testing

• ANSI Testing• Meter Functionality• Meter Data Acquisition Accuracy for Each Form • Dual Socket Meter Comparison – Data Collection & Accuracy

(Energy, Demand, Load Profile)• Large Test Platform Meter Comparison –

Data Collection & Accuracy • Disconnect/Reconnect Functionality• Outage Performance• Meter Communications Performance

Pre-deployment Certification Testing

• ANSI Testing• Meter Functionality• Meter Data Acquisition Accuracy for Each Form • Dual Socket Meter Comparison – Data Collection & Accuracy

(Energy, Demand, Load Profile)• Large Test Platform Meter Comparison –

Data Collection & Accuracy • Disconnect/Reconnect Functionality• Outage Performance• Meter Communications Performance

Deployment and Post-Deployment Certification Testing

• Accuracy testing

• Meter Communications Performance

• Software and firmware verification

• Setting verification

• Functional testing

• Disconnect/reconnect Functionalityand as left setting

Acceptance Testing

Questions that need to be asked:

• How does Acceptance Testing differ from Certification Testing?

• When do we return to Certification Testing?

• What should be built in to the AMI Vendor Contracts?

• Who should be involved in developing the Certification and Acceptance Test Plans and when should this be done?

Setting up Certification and

Acceptance Testing Plans

Useful Tools & Potential Resources

• ISO 9001

• Quality System Documentation if not ISO 9001

• Quality systems and test reports from vendors

• ANSI Test results, and protocols used by various manufacturers for these tests. Insist upon additional testing where you feel necessary

• Third Party Labs for your own certification testing

ANSI & Other Standards

• Not all Standards are created equal. The same Standard is often not interpreted the same way by all test facilities. The devil is always in the details. Do not just ask if the meter passed a particular test, but learn the details about how this test was run. Also find out,

• What version of the meter?

• Was the communication moduleintegrated with the meter for anyof these tests?

Vendors, Consultants, Independent Labs, Other Utilities, Networking

• You are not the first Utility to go through this process. At this point several others utilities have completed or are nearing completion of a deployment with your meter of choice or one of the meters you are considering choosing. There may even be utilities who have deployed the same meter with the same communication device. Ask your peers. Pick their brains. Talk to the metering folks. We are pretty friendly individuals.

• Most of the vendors have gotten better about no longer stone walling with “we have never seen that issue before”. We are asking our meter vendors to deploy new technology and new features very rapidly. They generally want to learn of any issues as quickly as possible and address these issues as quickly as possible.

• You always have a first or a final resort to go to an independent test facility – new feature never used in the industry or a problem that cropsup after deployment has begun

Quality Audits

• Schedule these for your meter manufacturer and your communication device manufacturer.

• Objective is to understand how they tested the product in the first place as well as how any concerns that come up will be addressed. What is the mechanism, who are the people, what capabilities do they have to investigate and determine root cause. How and when are these responses fed back to you the customer and to the manufacturing and supply chain.

• In plant final inspection and testing

• Plant first pass test results… if the number is less than 95% (which is typical), validating and auditing the off-line repair process becomes equally as important as auditing the main line quality checks

• Vendor supply change management

• Validation testing of firm ware changes

RMA’s and Self-Audits • In conjunction with auditing your vendor you should

audit your own procedures for identifying, reporting and following up on issues.

• For many this is simply a review of their RMA procedures. These procedures need to be strengthened and personnel assigned to them as the number of issues will skyrocket over the course of a deployment. Most will be of no or little consequence. Some will be important and one or more may have catastrophic results if not addressed quickly and followed-up forcefully and with persistence.

• Regardless of the extent of the self-audit, your quality system will have to be strengthened and staffed to handle the demands and the rigors of an AMI deployment. Clear chains of command and reporting protocols and decision matrixes will be as important as any testing protocols.

Post-DeploymentMeter Farms as a Tool

• Once deployment is complete the certification and acceptance testing does not stop.

• Everyone understands the importance of acceptance testing, but future generations of a smart meter also require certification testing.

• One new method for managing existing meter populations as well as future state meters is through meter farms.

• New software and firmware can be tested and compared against the performance of older generations.

• New hardware can be tested and compared to older generations.• Firmware upgrades can be checked• Long term issues can be identified or verified in the

meter farm• New head end systems or IT protocols can be

tested against the meter farm before going liveas well.

Real Life Examples of Change

Management in Action • Issues in the system not the components – what is the definition of a meter

and when did the meter change?– Meter and communication device interface

• Feature Creep – every manufacturer wants to differentiate themselves – sometimes this works in unanticipated ways

– Recovery from power outages– Short and long demand periods

• But we only changed….lessons we shouldhave learned from Microsoft

– Over the air upgrades

• Thank Goodness for testing plans and contracts – right?

– Half closed disconnect devices– Disconnect devices of unknown state– Meters with incorrect firmware

Expected & Unexpected Trends Toward

the End of Deployment Expected:• The AMI deployment team will declare victory at some point and move on.

Clean-up will be left for the meter service department• Change Management continues to be a tremendous challenge for every

vendor through every deployment• Meter Acceptance testing including far more than accuracy testing for every

deployment• Firmware upgrades must be checked and tested before mass deployment

Unexpected:• Not all forms are available by the end of

deployment and must be installed as part of normal operations by the meter service department

• Meter Certification Testing never slowed down over the course of any of the deployments

Summary

• There are no bad manufacturers. Everyone is moving very fast to meet the market demands. Without adequate checks and balances there will be problems. Even with them, there may still be problems – that is why we call this Risk Mitigation and not Risk Elimination

• Each Utility must take a far more active role as part of this system of checks and balances

10/02/2012 Slide 22

Customer Perceptions of New AMI Meters & What

Meter Services Can do to Help or Hinder the Cause

Prepared by Tom Lawton, TESCOThe Eastern Specialty Company

• Understand Customer concerns about Smart Meters and AMI

• Be able to respond as a Utility and as a Utility Worker

Session Objectives

• Health - new AMI meter’s will kill my cat or make me sick

• Safety – new AMI meter’s will burn down my house

• High Billing – new AMI meter is going to increase my bill

• Privacy - Big Brother is watching me

Customer Concerns – Real & Perceived

• RF Emissions

• We sites and internet information and misinformation

• Cell Phones vs Meters

• Measuring RF

Health Concerns

For the first time in our collective careers meters have been in the popular meter in an unflaterring way. Segments of the general population have the perception that;

• AMI Meters may spontaneously catch

• AMI Meters may blow up

• AMI Meters may disconnect power by themselves

• AMI meters are “cheap computers” and are not robust enough for long term outdoor use

Safety Issues?

When US Consumers think about electrical safety within their home they think about licensed electricians and inspectors for electrical work and the UL Mark for products used within their home.

• Customer: Why don’t meters have a UL label? Are the AMI meters safe?

• Utility: Are ANSI standards “tough” enough? How good is the meter vendor testing?

- Excerpt from PECO News Release October 9, 2012

What Regulatory Alternatives Are Out There?

Currently a Draft Standard under reviewScope

All Type S and Type A electric meters rated up to 600 volts and any other type of meter intended for

installation within the enclosure of “complete equipment”.

ContentsMeter Construction RequirementsMeter Performance

Meter Markings

Standards for Components

UL Meter Safety Standard 2735

Meter Construction Requirements

Meter forms as defined in ANSI C12.10 unless alternate forms are specified by a Utility

EnclosuresCoversCT’s, internal and externalBatteriesService SwitchesCircuit BoardsUL recognized or tested components


Meter Performance Tests

Tests for various fault conditions

How easy to set on fire

Strength of Construction

Some tests from ANSI C12.1 Section 4


Component Standards

UL Standards for many meter components will apply:

• Fuses• Transformers• Switches • Terminal Blocks• Connectors


• UL is very interested in capitalizing on this opportunity to regulate electric meters – a market they have been excluded from in the past by the NFPA

• Draft Standard 2735 was issued without any prior notification to the ANSI C12 Main Committee despite assurances that UL would work with and participate with ANSI to avoid a Standard that contradicts the complementary ANSI standard

• Manufacturing cost for a meter would increase significantly – neither the manufacturer nor the end user are sure how much this cost increase will be or if the increase is warranted.

Issues to Address

• Agreement on a common standard by UL and ANSI• Meter vendor acceptance of the new standard• Coordination of UL and ANSI testing of meters• Lead Time and Cost of UL listing• Need for ANSI Testing in the shadow of a UL Standard• UL part of new meter certification process• UL part of new component selection and design changes

Challenges of Implementing a UL Standard

Pro’s

• Greater perception of safety by the general public

• Outside inspection to maintain certification

• All changes to meter construction are monitored and approved by an outside group

Pro’s & Con’s of a UL Mark on Electric Meters

Con’s

• Greater cost to Utility and Utility customers

• Slower innovation for meters

• Potential for short term meter shortages after implementation

• Potential for fewer meter vendors and options for Utilities

Pro’s & Con’s of a UL Mark on Electric Meters

Current involvement of UL in the metering space

• Independent Test Lab to run ANSI tests

• Independent Test Lab to run customer specific tests

• Independent Test Lab to recommend and run safety tests on any metering product

Use of UL as an Independent Test Lab

10/02/2012 Slide 37

Hot Socket IssuesCauses and Best Practices

Notes from the FieldPrepared by Tom Lawton

TESCO – The Eastern Specialty Company with special thanks to L+G who sponsored much

of the research presented here today

The Issue

• Hot Sockets are not a new phenomenon. Virtually every meter man has pulled a meter with a portion of the meter base around a blade melted and virtually every utility has been called to assist in the investigation of a fire at a meter box.

• AMI deployments because of the volume of meters involved put a spot light on this issue.

– What causes a hot socket?

– Are the meters ever the cause of a meter box failure?

– What are the things to look for when inspecting an existing meter installation?

– What are the best practices for handling potential hot sockets?

• This presentation will cover the results of our lab investigation into the sources for hot sockets, the development of a fixture to simulate hot sockets, the tests and data gleaned from hot sockets, and a discussion of “best practices” regarding hot sockets.

Why do we know anything about hot sockets?

• TESCO has been fortunate enough to be involved in several meter deployments where we

supplied full time and part time meter engineers and project managers to our customer’s AMI

deployment teams. In this capacity we have been involved in evaluating hot socket issues and

helping to determine an appropriate response to actual or potential hot sockets.

• TESCO’s meter lab has been contracted to develop a laboratory fixture that would simulate the

various features common to most hot sockets found in the field.

• TESCO developed and refined a fixture since the 2013 Fall EEI running tests and gathering data

on the effect of hot sockets on meters.

• TESCO has access to a large number of

meters which have been exposed to hot

sockets both before and after catastrophic

failure.

• We have access to a limited number of

sockets that were hot sockets and did not yet

fail catastrophically.

Searching for Hot Socket sources

• Pitted and discolored meter blades• Melted plastic around one or more of the

meter stabs (typically the plastic around one stab is where the deformation starts)

• Pitted and discolored socket jaws• Loss of spring tension in the socket jaws


Hot Socket Simulation Fixture

Click to view video

Expected & Unexpected Results Expected:• Hot Sockets are exactly that – hot sockets. The hot sockets are the source of the

problem and not hot meters. • Electromechanical meters withstand hot sockets better than solid state meters

Unexpected:• Current plays only a small role in how

quickly a meter will burn up. Meters were burned up nearly as quickly at 3 amps, 30 amps, and 130 amps.

• Relatively small amounts of vibration can be the catalyst in the beginning and eventual catastrophic failure of a hot socket. Note: Other catalysts include but are not limited to power surges, debris, humidity, salt water.

• Contact resistance plays no role in creating a hot socket

And some newer solid state meters are better than electromechanical meters.

Temperature Rise Data

Jaws with intermittent connections will arc to the meter blade resulting in pitting on the blade.

Blade shows early signs of arcing.

Tin Melts at 232ºC which is lower than the 350ºC base plate plastic.

Slide 45

Jaw to Blade Arcing

46

Tin burned off

Blade hole due to arcing to jaw – Copper melts at 1040ºC (1900ºF)

AX-SD base thermoset plastic melts at 960ºC (1760ºF)

Severe Arcing Jaw to Blade

What are the necessary ingredients for a hot socket?

There are three necessary ingredients to create a hot socket (Note: We are not suggesting that we have simulated or even understand all causes for all hot sockets and meter related fires, but rather that we have simulated and understand the causes behind most hot sockets and meter related fires);

• Loss of jaw tension in at least one of the socket jaws.

• Vibration (or other catalyst to initiate arcing)

• Minimal load present

Reviewing the data and learning from the data

• Repeated meter insertions degrades the tension in the socket jaws (see graph), but not to dangerous levels

• Exposure to elevated temperatures rapidly degrades the socket jaw tension to dangerous levels (see graph)

• Visual inspection will catch some but not all dangerous socket jaws

• Arcing creates the heat

• Exposure to elevated temperatures has a cumulative effect on the meter socket jaw

• Relatively small vibration can initiate arcing

Field Inspection of SocketsBest Practices

• Example field check list

– Gaps in meter socket jaws

– Discoloration of one jaw vs. the other three

– Signs of melted or deformed plastic on meter base

– Pitting of either meter blade or socket jaw

– Loss of tension in meter socket jaws

– Check condition of wire insulation and connections to meter jaws

– Check the overall condition of the box, socket, meter and how they attach to each other and the building.

– Look for signs of tampering

– Look for signs of water or debris inside of the meter can

• Most AMI deployments utilize third party contractors to handle residential and some self contained non-2S services.

• After to or prior to AMI deployments, Utility personnel typically see these sockets

• Transformer rated meters typically handled by the meter service department of the utility.

• Hot socket concerns with lever by-pass sockets used on 3-phase meters are extremely rare.

Who Sees Hot Sockets?

• Easiest resolution is to replace the damaged jaw.

• Never try and repair a damaged jaw. The tension in the damaged jaw will not return simply by taking a pair of pliers and closing the jaw tighter.

• Either the entire box should be replaced or the damaged jaw (assuming the wiring and other jaws are deemed safe through the rest of the inspection.)

What can be done once a hot socket is identified?

Base Line Data Electro Mechanical meters vs solid state vs the latest generation of meters designed with hot sockets in mind

• At the start of our laboratory investigation the oldest electro mechanical meters

withstood hot sockets the best

• The latest vintage solid state meters withstood hot sockets the least.

• Over the course of the past twelve months some meter manufacturers have begun to

release 2S meters designed to withstand hot sockets and some have even begun to

put temperature sensing closer to the meter blades instead of only on the metrology

boards.

• One meter vendor’s service switch meter has used high temperature base plate

plastic since it was launched in 2008.)

• Calipers show a .01” gap, with that size gap between jaws and stabs we were able to heat meter stabs over 1000 degrees Fahrenheit in a few minutes.

• The rough spots you see on the post-test jaw next to the calipers are over .005” high. This surface degradation appears on the stab as well.

• Between the two surfaces you can have large gaps, along with insulating by-product of the arcing, that can sustain heavy arcing in a solid state.

Service Degradation

Slide 54

• In a representative side view of a .1” thick standard meter stab, you can see how small these distortions appear relative to the thickness of the stab, while creating an air gap large enough for significant arcing.

Service Degradation

Slide 55

Summary

• Hot sockets start with a loss of tension in at least one of the meter socket jaws. This

loss of tension can be from a variety of sources that start as early as improper

installation or even “tight sockets”.

• Loss of tension is necessary to create the initial micro-arcing conditions.

• Sockets with repeated meter exchanges observed to have higher incidence of hot

socket issues and “booting” a meter may spring jaws even more.

• Vibration appears to be the most common catalyst to the micro-arcing that creates the

initial heat in a “hot socket”.

• The meter must have some power, but current is not a significant factor in how quickly

or dramatically a hot socket occurs

• The effects of vibration and weakened jaw are cumulative

• Meter Manufacturers have all been working on the design of their meters to better

withstand a hot socket. These new meters have better baseline performance than

even the older electro mechanical meters, but a hot socket will eventually burn up

even the most robust meter.

10/02/2012 Slide 57


– Site Verification – Protocols & Tools for

Complex Metering Installations

Premise

• Over much of the 20th century, utilities, regulators and customers each relied upon lab and field meter testing efforts which were primarily focused upon the accuracy of the watt-hour meter and demand register.

• This focus is now changing with overwhelming deployment of electronic meters and significant deployment of AMR and AMI meters throughout the installed base in North America.

• The focus has now shifted to the metering installation as a whole and not the accuracy of the meter.

Field Testing


Electro Mechanical meters were subject to registration errors caused by mechanical issues with moving parts resulting in either the loss of revenue to the utility or over billing for the customer. Some of the more common problems were:

• Friction wear• Gear mesh misalignment• Retarding magnet failure• Timing motors

Electronic Meters – new failure modes require new testing and inspection methods

Electronic meters fail as do electro mechanical meters but differently

• Their overall life expectancy is not nearly the same

• Failure modes include drift (unexpected)

• Failure modes include catastrophic (expected)

• Failure modes include non-catastrophic but significant measurement error modes

• Failure modes can include non-measurement issues which render the meter ineffective or inaccurate for billing purposes.

Best Practices

• Residential vs Commercial

• Self-Contained vs Transformer Rated

• Follow the money and be as proactive as possible

• Double check the meter number, the location the test result and the meter record

• Perform a visual safety inspection of the site. This includes utility and customer equipment. Things to look for include intact down ground on pole, properly attached enclosure, unwanted voltage on enclosure, proper trimming and site tidiness (absence of discarded seals, etc.)

• Visually inspect for energy diversions (intentional and not). This includes broken or missing wires, jumpers, open test switch, unconnected wires and foreign objects on meters or other metering equipment. Broken or missing wires can seriously cause the under measurement of energy. A simple broken wire on a CT or VT can cause the loss of 1/3 to 1/2 of the registration on either 3 element or 2 element metering, respectively.

• Visually check lightning arrestors and transformers for damage or leaks.

• Check for proper grounding and bonding of metering equipment. Poor grounding and bonding practices may result in inaccurate measurements that go undetected for long periods of time. Implementing a single point ground policy and practice can reduce or eliminate this type of issue.

• Burden test CTs and voltage check PTs.

Potential Site Check List

• Verify service voltage. Stuck regulator or seasonal capacitor can impact service voltage.

• Verify condition of metering control wire. This includes looking for cracks in insulation, broken wires, loose connections, etc.

• Compare the test switch wiring with the wiring at the CTs and VTs. Verify CTs and VTs not cross wired. Be sure CTs are grounded in one location (test switch) only.

• Check for bad test switch by examining voltage at the top and bottom of the switch. Also verify amps using amp probe on both sides of the test switch. Verify neutral connection to cabinet (voltage).

• Check rotation by closing in one phase at a time at the test switch and observing the phase meter for forward rotation. If forward rotation is not observed measurements may be significantly impacted as the phases are most likely cancelling each other out.

• Test meter for accuracy. Verify demand if applicable with observed load. If meter is performing compensation (line and/or transformer losses) the compensation should be verified either through direct testing at the site or by examining recorded pulse data.

Potential Site Check List (cont)

• Loss compensation is generally a very small percentage of the overall measurement and would not be caught under utilities normal high/low checks. However, the small percentages when applied to large loads or generation can really add up overtime. Billing adjustments can easily be in the $million range if not caught early.

• Verify metering vectors. Traditionally this has been done using instruments such as a circuit analyzer. Many solid state meters today can provide vector diagrams along with volt/amp/pf and values using meter manufacturer software or meter displays. Many of these desired values are programmed into the meters Alternate/Utility display. Examining these values can provide much information about the metering integrity. It may also assist in determining if unbalanced loads are present and if CTs are sized properly. The vendor software generally has the ability to capture both diagnostic and vector information electronically. These electronic records should be kept in the meter shop for future comparisons.

• If metering is providing pulses/EOI pulse to customers, SCADA systems or other meters for totalization they also should be verified vs. the known load on the meter.

• Verify meter information including meter multiplier (rework it), serial number, dials/decimals, Mp, Ke, Primary Kh, Kr and Rate. Errors in this type of information can also cause a adverse impact on measured/reported values.

• Verify CT shunts are all opened.

Potential Site Check List (cont)

• Accuracy Testing


• Software & Firmware Verification

• Setting Verification

• Functional Testing

• Disconnect/Reconnect Functionalityand as left setting

Shop Testing

Testing Frequency & Cost

• Tools (hardware and software)• Personnel• Frequency• Test• Report• Analyze• Learn, Share, Adapt

10/02/2012 Slide 67

Meter Operations in a Post AMI World


for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)

Abstract

• As many utilities have elected to deploy advanced metering systems and millions of new solid-state, microprocessor based end-points with communications under glass, a dramatic shift has begun regarding where metering resources are being deployed and what they are doing.

• This presentation will highlight the new value proposition for metering personnel at their respective utility companies in a post-AMI World.

• Examples of issues which have arisen or been identified over the course of various deployments and in the immediate aftermath of an AMI deployment.

Pre-AMI Meter Operations

• Fewer meter techs in the field and in the shop than there were 25 years ago

• Fewer Field checks and site verifications due to lack of personnel, lack of experience and lack of expertise

• More features under glass in the meters even before AMI deployed

• Significantly more features under glass in every AMR and AMI system being considered or being deployed

• Metering losses starting to be identified “by accident” as opposed to being “by design”.


The Pendulum Starts to Move

• Meter Operations. Prior to deployment many larger utilities take an attitude

of “this is only metering – how hard can that be?”. Over the course of

deployment Meter Operations gains a stature and a respect from the rest of

the organization that was not previously accorded them – even if this is only

begrudging respect.

• New tests for AMI meters (e.g. communication,

disconnect) are identified• The complexity and issues around high revenue

metering are at least acknowledged by the rest of

the organization• Tests which have not been performed in years are

suddenly back in vogue

The New Realities

• Electro-Mechanical Meters typically lasted 30 years and more. Electronic AMI meters are typically envisioned to have a life span of fifteen years and given the pace of technology advances in metering are not expected to last much longer than this.

• This means entire systems are envisioned to be exchanged every fifteen years or so. In the interim the meter population and communication network inherent in the infrastructure for each utility must be maintained.

• Meter communication and meter data management are becoming as important to metering operations as meter accuracy.

• Firmware upgrades, firmware stability and cyber security are becoming increasingly important to metering departments

Expected & Unexpected Trends at the

End of Deployment Expected:• The AMI deployment team will declare victory at some point and move on.

Clean-up will be left for the meter service department• Change Management continues to be a tremendous challenge for every vendor

through every deployment• Meter Acceptance testing including far more than accuracy testing for every

deployment• Firmware upgrades must be checked and tested before mass deployment

Unexpected:• Not all forms are available by the end

of deployment and must be installed as part of normal operations by the meter service department

• Meter Certification Testing never slowed down over the course of any of the deployments

Why do AMI meters fail?

Looking back at various deployments – what are the chief

causes to reject meter shipments?

Meter functional test failures including but not limited to;

• Incorrect firmware

• Bad settings

• Alarms and errors that do not clear

• Communication test failures

• Bad tables

• Failed disconnect switches

Lessons for the Future?

• Are these infant mortality issues or are these issues to be concerned about going forward?

• What was NEVER the reason for rejecting a shipment – meter accuracy.

• Which are the most difficult meters for every deployment – the transformer rated meters. Often these forms are not available until very late in the deployment and sometimes not until the deployment has officially ended.

• Most AMI deployments utilize third party contractors to handle the residential and some self contained non-2S services. The balance are typically handled by the meter service department of the utility.

• No AMI deployment has used the AMI communication network to handle the communication with the largest customer meters. The risk from even a short term interruption of communication or loss of data far outweighs to benefit of meters which are already being communicated with daily or even several times a day.

• As these services are evaluated for new metering technology issues are being found at some accounts. These issues represent revenue losses due to inappropriate metering schemes or partially failed metering components (e.g. transformers, electronic components).

Commercial and Industrial Metering Challenges

• Metering is becoming more about IT. Some metering departments have

been reorganized after AMI as part of the IT department.

• Metering emphasis will shift strongly toward C&I customers and further and

further away from residential meters

• Metering resources are being refocused on C&I accounts.

• There are fewer levels of meter tech. Every meter tech needs to be at the

higher level as there is not enough lower level work to warrant full time

employees

• Utility commissions are being less forgiving of allowing rate relief for project

over runs and metering inaccuracies

How are these new realities starting to affect metering operations?

• Responsible for either reviewing ANSI Tests or even performing some of

these ANSI Tests

• Perform Meter Functionality testing on new and returned AMI meters

• Register and communication module energy measurement comparison

• Disconnect/Reconnect Functionality

• Outage Performance


• Consumer safety and combating real and perceived issues

• Near continuous research into the “next” technology and the next

deployment

New or expanded roles for metering departments of all sizes

• Accuracy testing


• Software and firmware verification

• Setting verification

• Functional testing

• Disconnect/reconnect Functionalityand as left setting

Shop Testing

Field Testing

• Accuracy Testing


• Software & Firmware Verification

• Setting Verification

• Functional Testing

• Disconnect/Reconnect Functionalityand as left setting

• Tamper Verification

• Site Audits appropriate to the typeof meter

RMA’s, Root Cause Analysis and In Service Testing

Opportunities to Learn:• Meters returned from the field as bad or flagged on incoming inspection. These

RMA’s need to be tracked not only for warranty purposes but more importantly to understand the root cause of the issues.

• In Service Test programs need to be utilized to understand the overall performance of AMI meters and as failures are identified these meters need to be dissected and the failure mode understood. If necessary, once the failure mode is understood the meter population may need to also be dissected to identify sub-groups of meter that may be similarly affected. This could be a group of meters…

• from the same shipment. • that were deployed in the same geographic area.• that saw the same type of usage or environment.

No one knows the actual life of their AMI meter. To do this we must learn as much as we can from the failures and the performance of the meters we have deployed.

Post-Deployment Needs

• Once deployment is complete the certification and acceptance testing does not stop.

• Everyone understands the importance of acceptance testing, but future generations of a smart meter also require certification testing.

• New software and firmware needs to be tested and compared against the performance of older generations.

• New hardware must be tested and compared to older generations.

• Firmware upgrades need to be checked

• New head end systems or IT protocols need to be tested against a large group of meters before going live.

Real Life Examples of Change

Management in Action • Issues in the system not the components – what is the definition of a meter and

when did the meter change?– Meter and communication device interface

• Feature Creep – every manufacturer wants to differentiate themselves – sometimes this works in unanticipated ways– Recovery from power outages– Short and long demand periods

• But we only changed….lessons we should have learned from Microsoft– Over the air upgrades

• Thank Goodness for test plans – right?– Half closed disconnect devices– Disconnect devices of unknown state– Meters with incorrect firmware

Summary

• The focus is on far more than accuracy

• The meter man of the future knows not only metering but they are communication

experts and are involved with handling, reporting and analyzing far more customer

and system data

• There are fewer “routine jobs” in the field and many of the standard tasks are no

longer required. This will lead to fewer classifications of meter techs going forward

and the need for a more highly trained tech.

• Each Utility must take a far more active role as part of checking, certifying, and

rechecking the functionality of their meters.

• Metering will be in a near constant cycle of looking for

the next technology, evaluating those technologies,

planning for deploying these technologies, and

cleaning up the aftermath of the deployment of

these technologies.

Questions and Discussion

Tom Lawton

TESCO – The Eastern Specialty Company Bristol, PA

1-800-762-8211

This presentation can also be found under Meter Conferences and Schools on the TESCO web site:

www.tesco-advent.com

ami lessons learned

Technology

certification testing

communication testing

testing protocols

ami deployment teams

ami teams

accuracy testing

continued testing

types of testing