LCRA Manages Meters and Interval Data in ERCOT

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LCRA Manages Meters and Interval Data in ERCOT

• Tom Knutsen, LCRA
• SWEMA
• Corpus Christi, TX
• June 6, 2005

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Lower Colorado River Authority

• Wholesale only
• 8 rural cooperatives
• 33 municipal utilities
• One anomaly ? Cap Rock Energy ? IOU
• 30,000 square miles

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Our Colorado River
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Wholesale Billing

• LCRA bills its customers at the substation our
  agreement is that ownership of electricity
  changes hands on the low side of the transmission
  transformer
• Power arrives at transmission voltage
• Power leaves at distribution voltage
• Wholesale metering and billing have not changed

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Value of Meter

• Everything stems from that meter working
  properly. Thats our foundation, its our
  measuring system,
• Deena Hemphill, Cap Rock Energy

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Solid State Interval Data Recorder

• Technology is now available that can track an
  intangible that cannot be stored.
• Carolyn Kinsman, Automated Communications Links,
  Inc.

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Metering and Data Changes

• LCRA management decided to split generation and
  transmission functions physically in re-regulated
  environment
• LCRA could no longer read and manage meters for
  Wholesale Customers Key Accounts they are
  retail

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LCRA and its Key Account Program

• LCRA manages outside contractors for metering and
  data collection services for Customers Key
  Accounts
• We adapted this set up to other markets

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Metering and Data Services

• LCRA offers meter services through Texas Meter
  and Device, Waco

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Metering and Data Services

• LCRA offers daily metering reading and data
  posting through MeterSmart of Arlington, Texas

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Key Account Data Flow
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Key Accounts -- Education

• Customers monitor their customers loads
• End-Users plan operations and budgets

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LCRA in Opted-In Area

• LCRA owns three irrigation districts in AEP
  Texas Central Company
• Since market opened, LCRA buys from another
  provider AEP is Transmission and Distribution
  Service Provider (TDSP)

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Three Irrigation Districts
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Responsibilities

• AEP owns, tests, and services meters
• LCRA owns and oversees phone link
• LCRA uses data

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LCRA AEP Texas Central Company
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Value of Data

• kWh / AcFt by plant
• kWh / AcFt by pump
• River Plant has 2 inefficient motors

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LCRA in Austin

• Until April 2003, LCRAs energy use in Austin was
  netted vs. generation at shared plants
• Transmission Services center now gets a bill

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LCRA Austin Energy
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Communications

• My allegiance goes to the first guy who shows me
  something that works.
• Leon Henderson, LCRA

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Were Guinea Pigs
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Questions?