Advanced Metering Services

Effective April 1, 2002, advanced metering will be made available to all customers, at their option, through a separate fee schedule in Rider 23 - Advanced Meter Services of the BGE Retail Electric Service Tariff. The electricity supplier or customer must contact BGE and apply to BGE for an advanced meter. BGE will install an advanced meter within 30 days of the technical specifications (including telephone communications requirements) being met by the applicant, either the electricity supplier or the customer.

An "advanced meter" is any meter that goes beyond Baseline Metering Services. At a minimum an advanced meter is a solid state meter that measures energy quantities (kWh and kVAh**) in fifteen-minute intervals that are collected via telecommunications technology. An advanced meter may be leased from BGE for a monthly fee as noted in the Rider 23 - Advanced Meter Services of the BGE Retail Electric Service Tariff.  In this case, the meter will be provided, installed and maintained by BGE.

**  With the selection of Advanced Metering, Rider 11 - Measured Demand of the Retail Electric Service Tariff, demand billing based on the larger value: 90% of kVA or actual kW may be implemented.

If the electricity supplier or customer wishes to provide the meter to be installed and  maintained by BGE, it must, as a minimum, meet the following technical requirements, as would an advanced meter provided by BGE.

Advanced Meter Technical Specifications

The Electric Choice and Competition Act provides that the transition to electric customer choice will, among other things, be orderly, maintain electric system reliability, and be fair to customers, investors, electric companies, and electricity suppliers. Technical specifications for advanced metering are necessary to ensure the collection of accurate usage and demand data, thereby supporting a fair and orderly transition.

1.  Certification Requirements

The meter must meet the requirements set out by COMAR in Section 20.50.02.02 for an electric billing device. BGE must have copies of all raw and summary test data for any meter that is to be used as a billing device. BGE has test results for approved meters listed below. Test results must be provided for any meters not on this list.

Recommended Meter: General Electric

Approved Meter Alternatives

ABB Alpha Power Plus

Schlumberger Vectron

Siemens Quad 4+ / MAXsys 2510

Siemens S4-RXR

2.  Data Measurement/Display/Recording Requirements

1. The meter must measure and display cumulative kWh delivered.

2. The meter must measure and display total kVAh delivered (Leading + Lagging kVars).

3. The meter must record kWh delivered and total kVAh in 15-minute intervals for a minimum of 45 days.

4. Channel 1 of the meter must be programmed for kWh delivered and Channel 2 of the meter must be programmed as total kVAh.

5. The following displays are a minimum for the normal display sequence of a meter: kWh delivered, total kVAh, instantaneous kW, instantaneous kVA, power factor, kW peak, kVA peak, date and time, program ID, and display segment test.

3.  Communications Requirements

1. Meter Communications Requirements

a.      The meter must have an internal modem with a minimum 1200-baud data rate.

b.      The meter must have a 9600-baud optical port.

2. Telephone Communications Requirements

a.      The customer/electricity supplier must provide a dedicated Dial In Dial Out (DIDO) phone line within 3 feet of the meter location.

b.      The phone line must be operational under normal conditions at all times (7 days per week, 24 hours per day).

c.      A data compatible cellular phone is an allowable option to the DIDO phone line. BGE must be consulted for specific requirements and approved vendors. BGE will also provide this device for a monthly fee as noted in Rider 23 - Advanced Meter Services of the BGE Retail Electric Service Tariff.

4.  Data Interface Requirements

• The meter must be compatible with the Utility Translation System's MV-90 Translation Software.

• The meter must be compatible with the latest version of the SAIC, Enerlink meter reading and analysis software.

 5.  BGE Operational Requirements

• BGE must be provided with electronic copies of all non-standard meter programs.

• BGE must be provided with a licensed copy of all non-standard manufacturers programming software.

•  BGE must have sole restricted access and control of all billing parameters (Meter Time, Demand Resets, Register Resets, etc.).

•  BGE must set and retain control of all meter passwords.

•  BGE or its representative must perform all meter programming and maintenance.

• Customers and electricity suppliers may have read only access to the billing meter and must request this access from BGE. Additional fees may be required to support required software licenses and additional communication costs.