20150812AVU to Staff 64.doc

AVISTA CORPORATION
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

JURISDICTION: IDAHO DATE PREPARED: 07/26/2015
CASE NO.: AVU-E-15-05/AVU-G-15-01 WITNESS: James Kensok
REQUESTER: IPUC RESPONDER: Larry La Bolle
TYPE: Production Request DEPARTMENT: Federal & State Regulation
REQUEST NO.: Staff - 064 TELEPHONE: [phone]

REQUEST:

Please provide the make, serial number, and cost of the meters currently being installed by the Company. Please explain whether any of the proposed IT updates are associated with metering equipment deployment or use (See Kensok DI, pg. 19, line 26). Please list the benefits and all associated assumptions for the costs vs. benefits for meter installation (e.g., meter reading efficiencies or other benefits; associated IT upgrades or other costs). Please describe how the Company uses the installed meters in its demand response, energy efficiency, and demand-side management programs. Does the Company perceive and/or assess any reliability benefits? Please explain.

RESPONSE:

Avista currently has somewhat different metering practices in place in each of its operating jurisdictions. These reflect the Company’s long-term objectives of reducing O&M costs associated with metering, and improving service to our customers, coupled with advances in metering technology. Avista first implemented automated meter reading (or AMR) in our Oregon service area, where we provide natural gas-only service. In 2008, the Company implemented automated meter reading for our electric and natural gas customers in Idaho, and we do not anticipate any near-term changes in our current metering practices in this jurisdiction. We continue to manually read our electric and natural gas meters in our Washington service area, however, we are in the initial phase of implementing an advanced metering (or AMI) program in this jurisdiction. The period of deployment is planned for 2016 – 2020. Avista also expects that as the Washington advanced meter deployment proceeds, we will continue to evaluate the possibility of implementing such a program for our Idaho customers.

The subject testimony (Kensok DI, pg. 19, line 26) refers to the electric and gas meter application that was part of the Company’s legacy customer information and work and asset management system, implemented in 1994. This application supported the inventory database for all of the Company’s installed electric and natural gas meters, which included information on meter type, manufacturer, date of manufacture, install date and location, service records, and serial number. Going forward, this same physical meter data is stored and accessed as part of the Maximo work and asset management application. Though the application used to manage the Company’s physical meter inventory has changed, Avista, as described briefly above, is not changing the type of meters it currently has in service in Idaho. Also, the Company is currently collecting meter usage data (kWh) in Idaho in the same manner and with the same systems that it had in place prior to implementing the new customer service and work and asset management systems. Finally, the metering Avista currently has in service in Idaho is not capable of supporting programs such as demand response, improved outage response (reliability), or providing interval meter data that can be used by customers to implement additional energy conservation or demand side management programs. These service options are enabled by advanced metering, such as the system currently planned for implementation in Washington. Attached as Staff_PR_064 Attachments A and B, are an excerpt of testimony and exhibits filed in Washington in the Company’s pending general rate case, describing its advanced metering deployment and associated benefits.

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