smart meter tampering

TPPA 2014 ANNUAL MEETING
E&O COMMITTEE MEETING
SMART METER TAMPERING
JULY 21, 2014
FERNANDO SÁENZ, P.E.
ASST. GENERAL MANAGER & COO
1 PRESENTATION AGENDA
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Overview
Prevention
Tampering Fees
Reporting Tampering
Proactive Steps
Signs of Tampering
Questions
2 OVERVIEW
• Full Service Utility
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Electric – single and multiply certificated areas
Water/Wastewater
Natural Gas
• 560 employees
• $167 million in operating revenue 3 OVERVIEW (CONT.)
Electrical Customer Mix Residential – 41,619 Commercial – 4,753 575 AMI Meters 9,566 Mechanical Type Meter 36,231 Solid State Meters 4 PREVENTION
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Electric Industry Information
City Ordinance
Tampering Fees
Looking for Signs of Tampering
Reporting Tampering
Reports
Campaigns
Meter Tampering Photos
Resistors
Back Billing and other related fees
5 PREVENTION (CONT.)
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Theft of service losses can erode
anywhere from 0.5% to 3.0% of gross
revenue (Edison Electric Industry Study,
1990)
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This would equate to approximately
$500,000 to $3 million in lost revenue for
BPUB
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A utility’s competitive advantage is
enhanced by ensuring that all revenue is
accounted for and collected, since we can
not depend on rate increases to offset
losses
Source: (Metering International Magazine Archive 1999 – Issue 1
www.metering.com/archive/991/07_1.htm)
6 PREVENTION (CONT.)
• According to Metering International,
“80% of positive theft cases are found
in the residential segment and 20% in
the commercial and industrial
segment.”
• However, 80% of revenue lost to theft
is from the commercial and industrial
segments
Source: (Metering International Magazine Archive 2001 – Issue 2, Energy Theft With A Spin On Change, hhtp://www.metering.com/archive/012/27_1.htm) 7 PREVENTION (CONT.)
CITY ORDINANCE
Sec. 102-73.
Injuring, tampering with meters
It shall be unlawful for any person other than a duly
authorized employee of the city to alter, change,
deface, remove, interfere with, open or in any other
way molest any meter situated or being in the City
and used in or for the supplying of any utility
service to any consumer thereof in the city.
(code 1971, 34-29)
8 TAMPERING FEES
FEE DESCRIPTION Reconnection Fee
Reconnect at pole
Reconnect underground Unauthorized Access Fee
Meter security lock removal
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Damaged Meter
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Installation/Replace Meter
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Seal – Cut, Damaged/Removed
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Back Billing FEES
$ 75.00
$ 150.00
$ 150.00
$ 150.00
$ 150.00
$ 60.00
$ 60.00
$ 117.65
$ 76.96
$ 167.00
$ 215.00
$ 125.00
$ 75.00
$ 150.00
Up to 4 years
9 REPORTING TAMPERING
• Employees
– Hi/Low reports
– Meter Readers (front line)
– Meter Servicemen
– Electric/Water Meter Shop
• Customers
– Hotline
– Website
• Account audits
• Employee random checks
• Investigate family account (tampered account relatives)
10 PROACTIVE STEPS
• Reports
– Cut-off for non-pay that have not re-connected service within 5
business days
– Low & zero consumption
– Trouble reports
• AMI Meter Information
– Voltage reported by meter
– Instantaneous Amps and Watts
– Voltage x Amps = Watts
– Internal temperature
11 PROACTIVE STEPS (CONT.)
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Presentation to employees
Meter detection training for Meter Readers/Servicemen
Association with neighboring utilities
Routinely test meters
Revisit previous meter tampering locations and review
accounts
• Review both electric & water accounts
• Collateral Investigation
– Identification and investigation of related accounts
12 PROACTIVE STEPS (CONT.)
• Campaigns
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Fliers with bills
Advertisements
Refrigerator magnets
Presentation to Key Accounts
Presentation to Schools
KGBT – TV Channel 4 News
KBSD – TV Channel 17 City of
Brownsville
13 SIGNS OF TAMPERING
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Broken seal on the socket cover
Holes through a meter seal
Meter upside down
Straight connection at the weather head
Bypass of meter by jumpers in meter socket
Damaged parts visible in meter
Meter exchange – want their old meter back
Bypass (upright position)
Hole on lexan cover
Resistors
14 SIGNS OF TAMPERING (CONT.)
A resistor is installed to alter voltage used to calculate usage • Small • Inexpensive 15 SIGNS OF TAMPERING (CONT.)
• Resistor covered with tape or heat shrink cover – same color as insulation • Installed while meter is energized w/o detection • Use battery to self-­‐connect Sample Meters 16 THANK YOU!
17 QUESTIONS?
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