Title

Carnegie Mellon University

Draft – Subject to Change

Today’s Inertia:
(Simply) Digital Metering Solutions

–Simply move to Digital Metering, down to DTR level

–Driven by “mandate” for “universal” metering

–Mainly for historical (accounting) purposes

–ToD usage recorded but read infrequently

–Using “standard communications” won’t work or scale

–Modems can not offer (near) real-time control

–5 min. intervals: > 100,000 reads annually

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–Cost-Benefits of simply Digital Metering

–Expensive meters yet limited capabilities

–$20+ for low end up to ~ $200 for 3 phase at 11 kV level

–Still costs about 1/3, and no metering for agriculture

–Only benefits: some theft reduction, marginal operational improvements

–Estimated costs » benefits if lucky

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Incremental costs for a Smart IT can be v. low (< ~$5–15/node)


	The “mandate” is often externally driven (e.g., WorldBank/ADB, who otherwise threaten to withhold funds). This is played out through the Regulatory Commissions, who as for the metering, but know that it will not be universal (no agriculture).