Maryland Workgroup Files Report on Retail Supplier Access To Smart Meter Data

A Maryland working group has filed a report on retail electric supplier access to data from smart meters

The report concludes that the PHI Companies (Pepco and Delmarva) currently have an established process for providing batch usage data to retail suppliers, and Baltimore Gas & Electric is developing plans to provide a batch usage data transfer process by the earliest, mid-2017, but currently offers an electronic platform that permits unlimited downloads of usage data files for up to 20 files at a time.

The PHI companies now have, and BGE will in the future have, processes that will enable suppliers to access near real-time usage data in a batch file format, the report states

BGE is exploring two options for providing data, one of which uses a program in use now at BGE, which is currently anticipated to be upgraded in 2018. As a result, if this option is implemented by BGE, it would be more cost-effective to postpone making changes to Retail Office until this upgrade occurs, versus now. The other option is to develop an entirely new electronic platform. If BGE selects this option, BGE would begin implementation in 2017 to ensure no adverse impacts to the implementation of the requirements for Rulemaking 54 (accelerated switching, etc.).

"As to customer consent, the standard electricity supplier coordination tariff requires that a supplier secure the written consent of a customer allowing the utility to provide the supplier with customer-specific information, and furthermore, the COMAR requires that a supplier maintain the confidentiality of customer information and to maintain a customer information privacy policy," the report states

The working group further offered a straw proposal for provision of AMI data:

-- A utility should offer an electronic means to enable licensed retail suppliers access to smart meter usage data.

-- The source of the smart meter usage data can be a customer’s billing system, PJM settlement data, or any other system that houses the interval usage data.

-- The batch file should consist of the following data elements:

• service point ID

• customer identifier, such as account number or Electric Choice ID

• date

• an identifier that the data is estimated

• kWh hour for each hour

-- The data elements should be provided in a batch file in .csv or other spreadsheet format.

See the working group report for more