Edison SmartConnect. Program Overview. Fullerton District. Building a smarter, cleaner energy future with our customers.

Transcription

1 Edison SmartConnect Building a smarter, cleaner energy future with our customers Program Overview Fullerton District July 18, 2011 For External Use

2 Table of Contents Page # Edison SmartConnect Overview 2 Helpful Plans, Tools & Services 3-4 Deployment Contractor Overview 5-6 Field Work Schedules 7 Customer Call Centers 8 Customer Letter 9-12 Customer FAQ Door Hangers Deployment Schedule 17 Deployment Map 18 Frequently Asked Questions Benefits for All 24 Radio Frequency Energy & Smart Meters

3 Edison SmartConnect Overview Program Overview Edison SmartConnect is Southern California Edison s (SCE's) smart metering program. SCE is proud to be a leader in the development of a smarter meter that will change the way customers use energy and is laying the foundation for future green technologies. Smart metering enables new programs and services that empower customers with the information they need to make smarter energy choices that will help them save energy, money and protect the environment. SCE plans to replace approximately 5 million electric meters for residential and commercial customers (below 200 kilowatts in demand), with next generation smart meters from Smart meter installations began September As of June, 2011, more than 2.7 million smart meters have been installed. Installations are being handled by field crews from SCE s designated installation vendor, Corix Utilities, as well as SCE personnel. Smart Meters and the Environment Smart meters are laying the foundation for the Smart Grid, and for changes in energy use and technologies that will have a positive impact on our environment. A smarter grid can help customers reduce energy use when it matters most, slowing the need for new power plants. By reducing energy use during periods when energy use is highest, SCE customers can collectively reduce consumption by an estimated 1,000 megawatts roughly the output of a major power plant. Smarter energy choices also lead to cleaner air. With access to daily online energy use information, customers can make consistent smart energy use choices, reducing greenhouse gases and smog-forming pollutants by an estimated 365,000 metric tons per year the equivalent of removing 79,000 cars from the road. A smarter grid opens the doors to widespread adoption of new, green technologies such as smart appliances and devices, solar installations, plug-in vehicles, energy storage units, and future green technologies that will drive greater environmental benefits. Customer Impact Customers will receive advance notice by mail when installations are scheduled in their neighborhood. Customers do not need to be home for smart meter installation, but should provide clear access to their meters. The installer will leave a door hanger indicating if the installation was successful or if an appointment for installation is required due to access issues. During a typical residential installation, customers will experience a short power interruption of less than a minute. Typically, no service interruption is required for smart meter installations at small businesses. Customers who operate life support medical equipment at their address, or have concerns about power interruptions, may call SCE at For general customer questions about Edison SmartConnect, customers may call or send an to edisonsmartconnect@sce.com. Corix installers carry identification indicating they are approved SCE contractors. Customers with smart meters will receive follow-up information by mail, notifying them when new program features and services are available and how to access them. 2

4 Helpful Tools, Programs & Services Customer Benefits The power of information. Instead of waiting for a monthly bill, customers can check their energy usage and cost anytime of the month. By understanding how their energy usage patterns impact their bill, customers will be able to find ways to lower their energy use. Customer convenience. Remote service turn-ons will make electricity service activation easier. When moving, customers will no longer need to leave gates open, worry about pets, or wait for an SCE representative. Ensuring Your Peace of mind. Improved grid performance and reliability begins with smart meters. When demand for electricity soars, the smart grid will route electricity to precisely where it s needed most, helping to prevent large-scale outages. If an outage occurs in your area, smart meters will inform SCE smart grid operators of the location and severity of the interruption which will help SCE restore your service more quickly. Easy energy bill management. New tools such as Budget Assistant help customers manage their monthly energy cost. The tool allows customers to select a monthly spend target that fits their budget and receive updates via , voice or text on how they are doing toward their goal. Money-saving programs. New customer programs such as the Save Power Day Incentive can help customers earn up to $100 per year in bill credits. By reducing electricity use from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on specific Save Power Days, customers can earn bill credits and reduce their electricity bill. Customers can enroll to receive notifications via , voice or text in advance of a scheduled Save Power Day. When the Save Power Day arrives, customers who reduce their electricity use below normal will receive a credit on the very next bill. The more they conserve, the more they save. The power of technology. In the near future, smart meters will communicate with smart thermostats, appliances, electronics and solar panels in the home allowing customers to program these devices to respond to their energy use preferences. A smarter home means a smarter energy lifestyle based on cleaner air, lower energy bills, fewer power plants and more renewable energy. 3

5 Edison SmartConnect Deployment Contractor SCE selected Corix Utilities, a specialty contractor, to perform most of the smart meter installations. SCE s decision to utilize a contractor that specializes in meter exchange services enables SCE employees to remain focused on our business of providing safe, high-quality service to our customers, while offering opportunities to prepare for changes to the organization. Corix Utilities underwent a rigorous review process, and SCE determined that the company s extensive utility operating experience and meter installation expertise best reflected SCE s commitment to safety and excellent customer service. This review process included input from comparably-sized utilities, whose experience with Corix confirmed the company s reputation as among the best meter installation contractors in the industry. Corix is utilizing local union labor under an existing agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 47, which is the union representing many SCE employees. They will ultimately manage a large operation in Southern California with several hundred employees. Corix employees will undergo SCE customer service and corporate values training. About Corix Corix operates a Southern California base in Garden Grove, CA for Edison SmartConnect A second office in Riverside opened in September 2010 to support Eastern area deployment Corix U.S. operations are headquartered in Milwaukee, WI Experience Corix has over 65 years of utility operating and service experience 13 years in the metering, and advanced smart meter installation business Employees Over 500 employees in the U.S. Currently serving about 20 utilities in U.S. Meters & Installation Experience Cumulative meter reads total about 250 million under contract (e.g., Austin, TX) Cumulative meter and smart meter installs more than 5,000,000 with another 6,000,000 currently under contract. 5

6 Edison SmartConnect Deployment Contractor Identification During mass deployment, there may be more than 200 Corix installers in a district. 6

7 Field Work Schedules Corix Call Center Winter (Nov. Feb.): M-F 7:00 AM 6:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Sun Closed Summer (Mar. Oct.): M-F 7:00 AM 8:00 PM; Sat 8:00 AM 8:00 PM; Sun Closed Corix Field Crews Winter (Nov. Feb.): Working 4 10 hour days Mon-Thurs AND Wed-Fri (may work Saturdays to catch up) Start Times: 5:30 AM, 6:15 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:45 AM Summer (Mar. Oct.): Mon-Thurs AND Wed-Fri (may work Saturdays to catch up) Start Times: 6:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM SCE Field Resources Working M-F, 6:30-3:00 p.m. 7

8 Customer Call Centers CORIX Corix Call Center (opened on July 30, 2009): Note: customer access or claims issues should be referred to the Corix Call Center. SCE Customers reporting life support or other sensitive medical equipment prior to meter installation should call SCE at: Note: this is listed on the pre-installation letter. General customer questions about Edison SmartConnect should be referred to the SCE Call Center:

9 Pre-Installation Residential Customer Letter (front) 9

10 Pre-Installation Residential Customer Letter (back) 3 rd Language - Korean 10

11 Pre-Installation Business Customer Letter (front) 11

12 Pre-Installation Business Customer Letter (back) 3 rd Language - Korean 12

13 Frequently Asked Questions (front) 13

14 Frequently Asked Questions (back) 14

15 A Peek at the Future of Edison SmartConnect

16 Post Installation Door Hangers Installers will leave a door hanger at each address on the day of installation to indicate either: - A successful meter installation, or - Unsuccessful installation due to access issues, asking customer to call to arrange installation. Successful Installation (Front) (Back) 15

17 Post Installation Door Hangers Unsuccessful Installation (Front) (Back) 16

18 Edison SmartConnect Deployment Schedule Meter Installation Plan Meter installation follows a district by district approach, focusing on one SCE district at a time. This approach enables teams impacted by deployment to have stable, detailed plans in advance, while also allowing the program to react to changes in strategy or new external variables in the longer term meter installation began in SCE s Whittier district, which includes Downey, La Mirada, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier. The district* schedule for installations through the next six months is as follows: District 1: Whittier Mass Deployment Start Date 98% Saturation Target Date Sep Feb District 2: Montebello District 3: Monrovia District 4: Covina District 5: Huntington Beach District 6: South Bay District 7: Long Beach District 8: Foothill District 9: Menifee District 10: Wildomar District 11: Palm Springs District 12: Victorville District 13: Redlands District 14: Ontario District 15: Compton District 16: Santa Monica District 17: Fullerton District 18: Santa Ana District 19: Saddleback District 1: 29 Palms District 2: Barstow District 3: Blythe District 4: Arrowhead Rurals: Dec Apr Feb Jun Mar Jul Apr Aug Jun Oct Jul Dec Sep Dec Oct Jan Nov Jan Nov Feb Dec Mar Jan May 2011 Mar Jul May 2011 Sep Jul Oct Aug Nov Oct Jan Nov Mar Dec Apr Jan Apr Jan Mar Mar Jun *Please note that this schedule is subject to change as SCE implements lessons learned throughout the deployment process. 17

19 Edison SmartConnect Deployment Map The list below represents cities in SCE s service districts, and may provide a general guide to areas covered by the smart meter district deployment plan. However, cities and communities may be slightly different for deployment. (COTO) (COTO) (COTO) The Fullerton District May Include All or Part of the Following Cities and Communities: Anaheim Brea Buena Park Cypress Fullerton Garden Grove La Habra La Habra Heights La Mirada La Palma Los Alamitos Placentia Stanton Whittier Yorba Linda COTO = Districts that have gone live with viewing hourly (15-minutes increments for small businesses) energy usage online. 18

20 Frequently Asked Questions: Customer Impacts Q. Replacing millions of old electricity meters must be costly. Who pays and how much? Edison SmartConnect is a $1.6 billion program authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission. Overall, the impact on customer rates by SCE's advanced metering project is expected to be negligible. On an average residential SCE bill of $100, for example, there would be about $1.60 increase during the installation timeframe through 2012 (or an average increase of 1.6%). This slight increase, expected to take effect in 2010, will not be applied as a line item to customer bills, rather it will be incorporated in the overall electricity rate. However, customers can more than offset the cost by adopting the programs and services that will be available through Edison SmartConnect. Q. Will new smart meters mean even higher electricity bills? While SCE is seeing upward pressure on costs that force electricity rates higher, these are not related to the Edison SmartConnect program. They are related to other industry factors such as rising power plant fuel costs and construction of facilities to serve new customers and to reinforce SCE's power delivery grid to accommodate growing electricity use. Higher rates and higher energy use due to extreme weather, such as prolonged heat, are most often the primary causes for most electricity bill increases. Q. How does SCE ensure that the new meters are accurate? SCE s smart meters undergo rigorous testing at the manufacturing facility, and at SCE to ensure reliability. Meters are also tested in the field under normal operating conditions to ensure we ve covered all bases. SCE also has teams in place to follow smart meters performance after installation to ensure they are working properly. Q. How secure is the system and my energy usage information? SCE has conducted extensive security planning and testing, and has developed security solutions, many which were adapted from the banking and defense sectors. All information transmitted between the customer meters and the utility is encrypted using U.S. Government-approved and recommended standards. Similar security standards have been implemented for information transmitted between the utility meter and customer-owned smart communicating appliances. Q. Where can I find more information? More information is available at: 19

21 Frequently Asked Questions: Customer Impacts Q. When will SCE customers begin receiving communications about Edison SmartConnect? Customers will receive a pre-installation notification letter advising them that their meter will soon be replaced. On the day of installation, customers will receive a door hanger to either confirm successful meter installation, or to inform them there was an access issue and they will need to call to schedule installation. Q. How long will it take to install the new meter at my home or business? Installing an Edison SmartConnect meter will take approximately five to ten minutes, the same amount of time as installing an existing meter. Q. Will the meter installation interrupt power for my home, or my community? On a typical residential or small commercial installation there will be a short power interruption of less than one minute. Typically, on larger commercial installations, no service interruption is required to exchange the meter. Q. Are the new meters being installed on homes, businesses, or both? The meters will be installed in residences and small businesses (<200 kw). Q. How will the new meter benefit me and my household? Customers will be able to conserve more electricity and save money by having the ability to track, in near real-time, how much energy they are using and what it is costing. In the same way a car s instant miles-per-gallon readout helps drivers conserve gas, personalized energy profiles enabled by Edison SmartConnect will help customers understand their energy usage patterns and identify ways for them to save energy and money. The Edison SmartConnect meter will support a connected home that allows customers to program their communicating home appliances and devices to respond automatically to settings based on cost, comfort and convenience. For example, the smart meter will communicate with a home s Programmable Communicating Thermostat (PCT) to maintain a certain temperature during specific times of the day, or to automatically respond to peak load or peak pricing events. 20

22 Frequently Asked Questions: Program Deployment Q. When will Edison SmartConnect deployment be completed? With a start date of September 2009, the program expects to complete installation of approximately 5 million new meters by year-end Q. When will the rest of the installation schedule be announced? How will the sequence of district installations be decided? A geographic implementation plan has been developed through November Beyond then, the deployment planning approach is to lock in the most immediate six months of district deployment with a high confidence level. Planning beyond that six month period occurs throughout deployment on a rolling three-month basis. This approach enables groups impacted by deployment to have stable, detailed plans in advance, while also allowing the program to react to changes in strategy or new external variables in the longer term. 21

23 Frequently Asked Questions: Meter Installation Q. Who is installing the new meters? Corix Utilities, a specialty contractor, is performing most of the basic installations, replacing existing meters with Edison SmartConnect meters. Some SCE Field Service Representatives (FSRs) will work along with Corix on residential installations and will handle installations in rural areas. Q. Why was Corix Utilities selected as the deployment contractor? Corix is a specialty contractor that offers customized processes and work management systems designed for performing smart meter installations. Corix underwent a rigorous review process, and SCE determined that the company s extensive utility operating experience and meter installation expertise best reflected SCE s commitment to safety and excellent customer service. This review process included input from comparably-sized utilities, whose experience with Corix confirmed the company s reputation as among the best meter installation contractors in the market. Q. Why is SCE using contractors instead of SCE employees to install the new meters? Utilizing a contractor that specializes in meter exchange services enables SCE employees to remain focused on our business of providing safe, high quality service to our customers, while offering opportunities to prepare for changes to the organization. Q. Will Corix be using local labor? Yes. Corix will be utilizing local union labor under an existing agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 47, which is the union representing many SCE employees. They will ultimately manage a large operation in Southern California with several hundred employees. Q. How many smart meters has Edison SmartConnect installed to date? Program deployment began in September, As of June 25, 2011, SCE has installed 2,750,161 smart meters. SCE reached 2.5 million installations by April 2011 and expects to reach approximately 5 million by

24 Frequently Asked Questions: The Smart Meter Q. How will these new smart meters differ from existing meters? The biggest difference is that the new meters are capable of two-way communication. They can send energy usage data to the utility through a secure wireless network, and, they can receive energy usage information from the utility. Existing meters are read in person once a month for data accumulated during the billing period. As the Edison SmartConnect program progresses, the new meters will communicate energy usage data in near real-time, so customers will see how much energy they have used on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Monthly, manual meter reads will no longer be required. The usage information collected remotely through the secure wireless network will be used generate electric bills once the new meters are in place. Wireless radio chips inside the meters support home area networking, which will make it possible for the meter to communicate with smart appliances and devices, solar installations, plug-in vehicles, energy storage units, and other future green technologies. Q. What s the expected lifespan of these smart meters? SCE specifications require a 20-year lifespan for the Edison SmartConnect meter. Q. As increased meter functionality becomes available, how will Edison update the meters installed from earlier stages of the installation schedule? Meters installed in 2009 and early 2010 are expected to perform all planned meter functions during their projected 20-year lifespan. Any updates to the meter software or firmware will be sent to the meter through the secure, wireless two-way communication system, and will not require a field visit. Q. What will happen to the old meters? Does the disposal of approximately five million outdated meters have any negative environmental impacts? The environmental impact will be minimal. It is in Edison s best interest to obtain the maximum value for removed assets. Electronic meters that do not have a market value will be processed in an environmentally friendly manner. Electronic meters will be disposed through our existing process. Those that can be resold will be identified and sorted for sale. Other meters, such as mechanical meters that cannot be resold, will be sorted and sold for scrap value. 23

25 Benefits for All Will I benefit from Edison SmartConnect even if I do not have internet access and do not plan to purchase smart appliances and devices? Yes. There are several ways that all customers, including those without web access and who are not early adopters of technology, can benefit from the new smart meters: Added Convenience for Move In/Out the new smart meters will provide customers with the added convenience of remote service turn-on/turn-off. Approximately one quarter of SCE customers move in or out every year. If a customer is moving, for example, they no longer need to leave gates open, worry about pets, or take time off from work to wait for a field service representative. They can simply notify SCE of their move date and have the service transferred remotely. Budget Assistant* Tool customers can contact SCE to sign up for the Budget Assistant tool. The tool allows customers to select a monthly spend target that fits their budget and receive automatic updates on how they are tracking based on usage, via a voic or text that can be sent to their land line or mobile phone. Once enrolled customers can choose to receive alerts about their energy usage on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis - depending on their preference. Save Power Day Incentive* customers can contact SCE to sign up for the Save Power Day Incentive program and earn up to $200 per year. Once enrolled, SCE will notify customers via voic or text that can be sent to either a landline or mobile phone one day in advance of a scheduled Save Power Day. When the Save Power Day arrives, customers who reduce their electricity use below normal during a pre-determined window of time will receive a credit on the very next bill. The more they conserve, the more they can save. Grid Performance and Reliability - when demand for electricity soars, the smart grid will route electricity precisely to where it s needed most, helping to prevent large-scale outages. If an outage does occur, smart meters will inform SCE smart grid operators of the interruption in power as well as how extensive the outage is, which will enable the utility to respond faster and restore service. The Environment - Edison SmartConnect will provide customers with their energy use and cost information to help them see the benefits of consuming less energy and shifting their energy usage to off-peak evening and weekend hours. By using less energy, customers can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and smog-forming pollutants in California by an estimated 365,000 metric tons per year. That s the environmental equivalent of removing 79,000 cars from our roads. *Note: These programs and services will be rolled out over time with meter installations. 24

26 Radio Frequency & Smart Meters What is Radio Frequency energy and is it harmful? Radio frequency (RF) energy is used as another term for electromagnetic fields, radio waves or wireless signals. It has been known for many years that human exposure to unusually high levels of RF energy can be harmful because they can heat body tissue by energy absorption. Such high levels of RF energy are only found very close to antennas transmitting hundreds or thousands of Watts, such as Television stations, FM radio stations, and radar antenna stations. In contrast, the amount of RF energy produced by smart meters is not harmful as it is comparable to cellular phone devices, wireless baby monitors, cordless home phones, and WiFi home computer networks--levels much too low to produce tissue heating or an increase in body temperature. Are there any safety limits on human exposure to wireless and RF fields? Yes. Limits on wireless and RF energy exposures have been recommended by International and national health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) developed science-based safety guidelines through guidance and recommendations from the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). A feature of the FCC's safety guidelines is that there is a safety factor of fifty included in the general population limits. That is, the general population limits are fifty times lower than the power levels that could cause harm to the human body. These guidelines serve to protect the general population from over-exposure to RF energy. Edison SmartConnect meters and cell relays emit only a fraction of the FCC's human exposure limits. Are the wireless, radio-frequency (RF) signals used by SCE's smart metering system safe? Yes. SCE s smart metering devices communicate using low-power, wireless signals that are similar or weaker in strength than those created by common consumer devices like cell phones or Wi-Fi home computer networks. SCE s meters emit only a fraction of the power limits identified in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines for safe RF energy exposure. Will Edison SmartConnect products interfere with implanted medical devices or my other wireless devices? The low-power design of Edison SmartConnect devices greatly reduces the probability of interference with other wireless devices.the Edison SmartConnect product line has passed FCC required non-interference tests performed at a certified third party test laboratory and, therefore, are not expected to cause harmful interference to other wireless or electronic systems. Generally speaking, there are a number of existing everyday environmental sources that produce much stronger RF fields than those of SCE s smart metering system. Therefore, if the already existing sources are not causing interference, then we do not believe that the relatively weak fields produced by the Edison SmartConnect s metering devices would interfere with operation of a medical device, for example. 25

27 Radio Frequency & Smart Meters Talking Points Smart meters send information about home electricity usage to SCE using wireless communications. Wireless devices use what are called radio frequency (RF) signals. A person s exposure to RF signals depends on three factors: the signal strength, the distance from the device and how often it transmits. Three Facts to Know: 1. Typical Edison SmartConnect meters communicate at similar or lower power levels than a cell phone. 2. Radio frequency signals diminish significantly with distance from the smart meter. 3. Edison SmartConnect TM meters only communicate for brief periods of time throughout the day. Although meters transmit infrequently, a person s exposure to RF three feet in front of a continuously communicating meter is 25 to 125 times less* than the exposure from a cell phone held to the ear. Edison SmartConnect s meters communicate for fractions of a second at a time over the course of a day, totaling a maximum of a few minutes each hour. Smart meter RF signals are similar or weaker in strength (and the exposure is less) than commonly-used household devices such as cell phones, cordless phones and Wi-Fi routers. How RF Exposure Limits are Determined: Exposure limits on RF signal transmissions have been specified by international and national health authorities. In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) collaborated with health and safety agencies** to adopt scientifically established safety guidelines that are fifty times lower* than harmful levels. RF exposure three feet in front of a continuously communicating smart meter is fifteen times less* than this already conservative safety limit. Bottom Line: Taken together, these factors mean the RF exposure from the smart meter installed outside your home will typically be at most a few hundredths of one percent of the maximum allowance inside your house.