No. 36214 (New Rule): Rule R746-313. Electric Service Reliability

(New Rule)

DAR File No.: 36214
Filed: 05/15/2012 04:17:37 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This purpose of this rule is to establish requirements for each electric corporation and distribution electrical cooperative that is also a public utility to have a program to ensure reliable electric service is provided to each electric service customer in accordance with Section 54-3-1.

Summary of the rule or change:

This rule requires each electric corporation and distribution electrical cooperative that is also a public utility as defined in Subsection 54-2-1(16) to have a written electric service reliability program approved by its governing authority to ensure reliable electric service is provided to each electric service customer in accordance with Section 54-3-1. The rule requires these entities to provide annual reports on electric service reliability and major event reports to the commission and/or the board of directors of the distribution electrical cooperative. This rule also identifies the standards (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Inc., Standard IEEE 1366 -- 2003 Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices and/or the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Bulletin 1730A-119 Interruption Reporting and Service Continuity Objectives for Electric Distribution Systems) for which electric service reliability indices will be calculated and provides requirements for addressing inquiries about electric service reliability.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 54-4-7
• Section 54-3-1
• Section 54-4-2

This rule or change incorporates by reference the following material:

• Adds Bulletin 1730A-119 Interruption Reporting and Service Continuity Objectives for Electric Distribution Systems, published by States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service, 03/24/2009
• Adds 1366TM IEEE Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices, published by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Inc., 05/14/2004

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This rule will have no cost effect on the state budget, however, to the extent electric service reliability is improved or does not degrade below that which is already provided, or adverse electric service reliability impacts are avoided, the rule benefits the State and the State budget in general.

local governments:

This rule will have no cost effect on local governments who operate their own municipal electric utility systems. This rule will have no cost effect on local governments who are supplied electricity via a rural electric cooperative or an investor-owned utility, however, to the extent electric service reliability is improved or does not degrade below that which is already provided, or adverse electric service reliability impacts are avoided, the rule benefits local governments and their constituents.

small businesses:

This rule will have no direct cost effect on small businesses. Small businesses benefit to the extent electric service reliability is improved or does not degrade below that which is already provided, or adverse electric service reliability impacts are avoided.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

Other than rural electric cooperatives and investor-owned electric utilities, this rule will have no direct cost affect on persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities. Persons other than rural electric cooperatives and investor-owned electric utilities benefit to the extent electric service reliability is improved or does not degrade below that which is already provided, or adverse electric service reliability impacts are avoided. This rule formalizes the practices, commitments and standards related to evaluating, tracking and measuring electric service reliability, which generally are currently being utilized by electric corporations and distribution electrical cooperatives which are also public utilities. Electric corporations could incur costs associated with penalties for violation of approved standards or electric service reliability program elements.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

This rule formalizes the practices, commitments and standards related to evaluating, tracking and measuring electric service reliability, which generally are currently being utilized by electric corporations and distribution electrical cooperatives which are also public utilities. Electric corporations could incur costs associated with penalties for violation of approved standards or electric service reliability program elements.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

This rule is important to ensure electric customers are provided electric service which is adequate, efficient, just and reasonable as required by Section 54-3-1. This rule will have no fiscal impact on businesses and may provide a benefit in the form of electric service reliability. This rule benefits businesses in general as reliable electric service is one of the cornerstones for reliable business operations. Previously, commitments to electric service reliability by electric corporations were parts of voluntary merger commitments. This rule will ensure lasting requirements for electric service reliability which benefits businesses and the State of Utah in general.

Ted Boyer, Commission Chairman

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Public Service Commission
Administration
HEBER M. WELLS BLDG
160 E 300 S
SALT LAKE CITY,

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Sheri Bintz at the above address, by phone at 801-530-6714, by FAX at 801-530-6796, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]
• David Clark at the above address, by phone at 801-530-6708, by FAX at 801-530-6796, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/02/2012

This rule may become effective on:

07/09/2012

Authorized by:

David Clark, Legal Counsel

RULE TEXT

R746. Public Service Commission, Administration

R746-313. Electrical Service Reliability

R746-313-1. Authority.

(1) This rule establishes electric service reliability and continuity requirements as provided for in Utah Code Sections 54-3-1, 54-4-2 and 54-4-7.

 

R746-313-2. Definitions.

(1) "Customer average interruption duration index" ("CAIDI") has the same meaning as in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable.

(2) "Customer" means, when used for reliability indices calculations, a metered electrical service point for which an active bill account is established at a specific location.

(3) "Day" means a 24-hour period beginning at midnight.

(4) "Electric company" means an electrical corporation or a distribution electrical cooperative that is also a public utility, as defined in Utah Code 54-2-1(16).

(5) "Form 7 - Information on Service Interruptions" means:

(a) Part G of the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service Form 7 Financial and Statistical Report,

(b) Part H of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation Form 7 Financial and Statistical Report, or

(c) their equivalents.

(6) "Governing Authority" means:

(a) for a distribution electrical cooperative as defined in Utah Code 54-2-1(6), its board of directors; and

(b) for an electrical corporation as defined in Utah Code 54-2-1(7), the Public Service Commission of Utah, otherwise referred to as the commission.

(7) "The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard 1366" ("IEEE 1366") means the 2003 edition of the IEEE Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices.

(8) "Interruption" means the loss of electrical service to one or more customers connected to the distribution portion of the system. It is the result of one or more component outages, depending on system configuration.

(9) "Loss of power supply"

(a) "Loss of power supply - Distribution Substation" means the loss of the electrical power supply system due to an outage/failure of a distribution substation component.

(b) "Loss of power supply - Generation/Transmission" means the loss of the electrical power supply from the electric company's own electric generator or transmission system, including transmission lines and transmission substations, or from another electric company or electric corporation.

(10) "Momentary average interruption frequency index" ("MAIFI") has the same meaning as in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable.

(11) "Major Event" means a designation given to an event that exceeds the reasonable design and or operational limits of the electric power system. As applicable to this rule, a major event includes at least one Major Event Day.

(12) "Major Event Day" or "med" means a day in which the daily system SAIDI exceeds a threshold value, T _MED .

(13) "Major event day identification threshold value" ("T _MED ") has the same meaning as in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119.

(14) "Operating area" means a geographic subdivision of an electric company's Utah service territory that functions under the direction of an electric company office and as a separate entity used for reliability reporting within the electric company. An operating area may also be referred to as regions, divisions, or districts and may also be a reliability reporting area.

(15) "Person" means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a trust, a company or a regulatory agency.

(16) "Reliability" means the degree to which electric service is supplied without interruptions.

(17) "Reliability indices" means the electric service interruption indices identified in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable.

(18) "Reliability program" means a written electric service reliability program approved by the electric company's governing authority.

(19) "Reliability reporting area" means a grouping of one or more operating areas, for which the electric company calculates major event thresholds.

(20) "Reporting Period" means the 12-month period, based on the previous 365 days, or 366 days for leap years, for which an electric company is tracking and reporting reliability performance.

(21) "Rules" means the Electric Service Reliability Rules R746-313-1 through 9.

(22) "RUS 1730A-119" means the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service Bulletin 1730A-119 entitled "Interruption Reporting and Service Continuity Objectives for Electric Distribution Systems," dated March 24, 2009.

(23) "System average interruption duration index" ("SAIDI") has the same meaning as in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable.

(24) "System average interruption frequency index" ("SAIFI") has the same meaning as in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable.

(25) "Step restoration" means the process of restoring all interrupted customers in stages over time.

(26) "Sustained interruption" means an interruption lasting more than five minutes.

(27) "System-wide" means pertaining to and limited to the electric company's customers in Utah.

 

R746-313-3. Purpose, Scope, Applicability and Exceptions.

(1) This rule establishes requirements for each electric company to have a program to ensure reliable electric service is provided to each electric service customer in accordance with the requirements of Utah Code 54-3-1.

(2) An electric company whose governing authority is the commission shall:

(a) follow the provisions of IEEE 1366 in the collection and analysis of interruption data and in the calculation and reporting of reliability indices as required by these rules. If there is a conflict between any provision in IEEE 1366 and the rules, the rules govern; and

(b) include both "distribution system" interruptions and "interruptions caused by events outside of the distribution system," as defined in IEEE 1366, in the electric company's record keeping, calculations, reporting, and filing as required by R746-313-4 through R746-313-9.

(3) An electric company whose governing authority is not the commission shall:

(a) follow the provisions of either IEEE 1366 or the RUS Bulletin 1730A-119 in the collection and analysis of interruption data and in the calculation and reporting of reliability indices as required by these rules. If a conflict exists between any provision in IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119 and the rules, the rules govern; and

(b) include both "distribution system" interruptions and interruptions caused by events outside of the distribution system in the electric company's record keeping, calculations, reporting, and filing as required by the Electric Service Reliability Rules R746-313-4 through R746-313-9.

(4) The commission may, upon written request and for good cause shown, waive or modify any provision of these rules in accordance with R746-100-15, Deviation from Rules.

 

R746-313-4. Electric Service Reliability Program.

(1) An electric company must use reasonable means in design, operations, and maintenance to ensure the reliability of electric service provided to each customer in accordance with Utah Code 54-3-1. Such means include, but are not be limited to, programs to minimize service interruptions.

(2) When an interruption occurs, an electric company must reestablish service in a manner which minimizes the interruption duration consistent with the safety of its employees, its customers, and the public.

(3) An electric company must have recordkeeping systems in place to determine, and track interruptions, facilitate interruption restoration, and collect and analyze interruption data.

(4) By December 31, 2012, an electric company whose governing authority is not the commission shall have a written electric service reliability program, approved by its governing authority, to ensure service reliability to each customer and to minimize service interruptions.

(5) By November 1, 2012, an electric company whose governing authority is the commission shall file a written electric service reliability program for approval by the commission.

(a) The reliability program must:

(i) be based upon an evaluation of historic electric service reliability information and reliability indices, and service quality commitments; and

(ii) include both reliability program components as specified in R746-313-4(5)(b) and reliability program supporting information as specified in R746-313-4(5)(d).

(b) Reliability program components are those items and associated programs which establish the levels of electric service reliability to be achieved by the public utility. Reliability program components include but are not limited to:

(i) Service reliability performance objectives in the form of network reliability indices, customer guarantees, commitments, and the public utility's programs necessary for maintaining and/or achieving appropriate electric service and reliability (e.g., vegetation management program, improvement of worst performing circuits program, preventive maintenance programs);

(ii) identification and description of the electric company's internal processes, procedures, and/or efforts which support the achievement of performance objectives (e.g., vegetation management, capital investment, and maintenance spending targets; maintenance procedures and schedules; other such programs);

(iii) a plan of action to be implemented and penalties to be assessed in the event a service reliability performance objective or commitment is not met or achieved;

(iv) reporting and meeting commitments and schedules (e.g., semi-annual reports filed with the commission within 120 days after the end of the reporting period, meetings to discuss draft report with the commission within 90 days after the end of the reporting period with draft report to be provided to the commission 10 days before meeting, notification to the commission within 30 days of exceeding any reliability indices or commitments);

(v) a commitment by the electric company to discuss during a scheduled meeting:

(A) reporting period reliability performance, including the results of benchmarking studies in which the public utility has participated;

(B) changes to the reliability program components or supporting information; and

(C) other relevant electric service reliability topics as appropriate.

(vi) other commitments and/or program components an electric company determines appropriate.

(c) Modifications to reliability program components. All modifications to reliability program components must be approved by the commission prior to implementation.

(d) Reliability program supporting information consists of policies, procedures, methods, systems, and budgets which support the public utility's reliability program components. Reliability program supporting information includes but is not limited to:

(i) an explanation of the process or processes by which the electric company identifies and, where appropriate, corrects underperforming circuits or local areas of performance concerns;

(ii) general reporting formats and definitions of terms not addressed by these rules or IEEE 1366;

(iii) an explanation of how the electric company collects, maintains and verifies the data and determines the specific values used in the calculation of the reliability indices;

(iv) the method for determining the customer count as defined in IEEE 1366; and

(v) other information an electric company determines appropriate.

(e) Modifications to reliability program supporting information. An electric company must notify the Commission in writing of any modification to its reliability program supporting information identified in R746-313-4(5)(d) which would affect the consistency of the data being reported under the provisions of the rule at the next scheduled reporting period. The notification must explain the change, the reason for the change, and the effect the change will have on the data. All other modifications to reliability program supporting information must be reported in the electric service reliability report required in R746-313-8.

(f) All reliability indices identified in the electric company's reliability program shall be:

(i) calculated with all interruptions included and separately with major event interruptions excluded;

(ii) based upon and calculated on a 365-day rolling average (or 366-day in the event of a leap year);

(iii) reported on a system-wide basis and for each reliability reporting area, with the exception that associated circuit- and T _MED-related data shall be provided upon request.

 

R746-313-5. Electric Service Interruption Records.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this Section:

(a) An electric company using predominantly non-automated methods for identifying outages and tracking reliability shall keep an accurate record of each sustained interruption of service that affects one or more customers.

(b) An electric company using an electronic outage management system for identifying electric service interruptions and/or tracking outages shall keep an accurate record of each interruption of service that affects one or more customers.

(2) Each record shall contain at least the following information:

(a) the operating area where the interruption occurred;

(b) the reference identification of the substation involved;

(c) the reference identification of the circuit involved;

(d) the date and time the interruption started or was reported. If the exact time is unknown, the beginning of an interruption is recorded as the earlier of an automatic alarm or the reported initiation time;

(e) the date and time service was restored;

(f) the duration of the interruption;

(g) the number of metering points affected by the interruption;

(h) the cause of the interruption;

(i) whether the interruption was planned or unplanned;

(j) the interrupting device that made the interruption, if known; and

(k) the component involved (e.g., transmission line, substation, overhead primary main, underground primary main, transformer, etc.).

(3) For interruptions where customers are not simultaneously restored, an electric company shall keep records that document the step-restoration operations.

(4) For major events where an electric company is unable to obtain accurate data, the electric company shall make reasonable estimates and explain these estimates in any report filed with its governing authority.

(5) An electric company shall retain the records associated with this rule in accordance with R746-310-10 Preservation of Records.

 

R746-313-6. Electric Service Reliability Calculations.

(1) Using records collected in accordance with R746-313-5, each electric company must perform reliability index calculations required by its reliability program in conformance with IEEE 1366 or RUS1730A-119, as applicable.

(2) Each electric company must report the results of any required reliability index calculations for the reporting period in the electric company's report on electric service reliability as set forth in R746-313-8, and for each major event in the electric company's major event filings as set forth in R746-313-9.

(3) Data included in the above calculations shall include all interruptions associated with or related to high voltage components (above 600 volts).

 

R746-313-7. Inquiries about Electric Service Reliability.

(1) A customer may request a report from its electric company about the reliability of the electric service provided to the customer's own meter which the electric company must provide at no cost within 20 business days of the request. If a customer requests one or more additional reliability reports for the same meter within one year of the date of the first request, the electric company may charge the customer the cost of preparing the report(s).

(2) For an electric company whose governing authority is the commission, the report to the customer must include:

(a) The name of the customer;

(b) The date of the request;

(c) The address where the meter is installed;

(d) The meter identification number;

(e) The general identification of the equipment serving the customer; and

(f) A chronological listing of interruptions to the customer including all associated interruption data required by R746-313-5.(2) covering at least the 36 months preceding the date of the request, if available. If 36 months of data are not available, the chronological listing must include all available data.

(3) For an electric company whose governing authority is not the commission, the report to the customer must include:

(a) The name of the customer;

(b) The date of the request;

(c) The address where the meter is installed;

(d) The meter identification number;

(e) The general identification of the equipment serving the customer; and

(f) A chronological listing of interruptions on the feeder serving the customer's meter including all interruption data required by R746-313-5(3) covering at least the 12 months preceding the date of the request, and. If 12 months of data are not available, the chronological listing must include all available data.

(4) Other than those inquiries specified in R746-313-7(1) through (3), each electric company must have a written policy in its reliability program for consistent treatment of all other inquiries pertaining to electric reliability. At a minimum, the electric company must provide to the inquiring party, by electronic means, the electric company's most-recently filed Annual Report on Electric Reliability required by R764-313-8.

 

R746-313-8. Report on Electric Service Reliability.

(1) By May 1 of each year, an electric company shall file with the commission a report on electric service reliability for the reporting period representing the previous calendar year. The electric company must make electronic copies of the report available to the public upon request and may charge a reasonable cost for requested paper copies.

(2) For an electric company whose governing authority is the commission, the report on electric service reliability must contain at a minimum:

(a) an executive summary including a summary of the electric service reliability program;

(b) sections addressing the status of all electric reliability performance objectives and supporting programs identified in the electric company's reliability program;

(c) the calculated reliability indices required by the electric company's reliability program. At a minimum, the electric company must report this information on a system-wide basis compared with the previous four years' performance and on an operating area compared with the previous four years' performance;

(d) a summary of the system-wide and reliability reporting area sustained interruption causes compared to the previous four-year performance. At a minimum, outages must be categorized using the following cause categories:

(i) Loss of Supply - Generation/Transmission;

(ii) Loss of Supply - Distribution Substation;

(iii) Distribution - Environment (e.g., unpreventable contamination, corrosion, airborne deposits, flooding, fire/smoke not related to faults or lightning);

(iv) Distribution - Equipment Failure;

(v) Distribution - Lightning;

(vi) Distribution - Operational;

(vii) Distribution - Planned Outages;

(viii) Distribution - Public;

(ix) Distribution - Vegetation;

(x) Distribution -Weather (other than lightning);

(xi) Distribution -Wildlife;

(xii) Distribution - Unknown; and

(xiii) Distribution - Other.

(e) a listing of the major events experienced during the reporting period and a listing of significant events as defined by the electric company, their cause, and their effect on reliability performance during the reporting period;

(f) comparisons of planned and achieved maintenance spending, maintenance activities, capital spending, vegetation management spending and vegetation management activities including identification of areas of greatest concern and a table summarizing new electrical connections;

(g) a listing of the T _MED values that will be used for each reliability reporting area for the forthcoming annual reporting period.

(h) a summary of the data collection systems and estimation methodologies covered by R746-313-5 for the collection of interruption data, calculation of reliability information, and facilitation of interruption restoration and mitigation;

(i) a section addressing changes the electric company has made or will make in the collection of data and the calculation, estimation, and reporting of reliability information. The electric company must explain why the changes occurred and explain how the change affects the comparison of newer and older information;

(j) a map showing the reliability reporting areas and/or operating areas;

(k) a listing of circuits by reliability reporting area and substation, indicating circuit voltage and number of customers connected;

(l) a list of annual reliability-related goals and/or targets set by the electric company for the reporting period addressed by the annual report and for the calendar year in which the report is being submitted;

(m) an explanation of any factors used in calculating reliability indices presented in the electric company's annual report and their justification;

(n) a table showing the number of customers by reliability reporting area and operating area, and an explanation of the method used in determining this number; and

(o) any other information required to be filed by the electric company's reliability program.

(3) For an electric company whose governing authority is not the commission, the report on electric service reliability must contain, at a minimum:

(a) The reliability indices listed in Form 7 - Information on Service Interruptions based upon the cause codes listed in RUS1730A-119 ; and

(b) A summary of any estimation methods and/or an explanation of any factors used in calculating reliability indices presented in the electric company's report on electric service reliability.

 

R746-313-9. Major Event Reporting by Electric Utilities.

(1) Major event reporting for an electric company whose governing authority is the commission. Within 30 business days after the conclusion of each event which an electric company determines satisfies the criteria for major event classification in accordance with IEEE 1366, the electric company shall file a major event report with the commission for its consideration. The major event report must include, at a minimum:

(a) a description of the major event, the interruption causes, and a summary of restoration efforts and factors that affected restoration of service;

(b) identification of reliability reporting area and geographic area affected;

(c) the total number of customers affected, and the number of customers without service at periodic intervals;

(d) the calculated SAIDI, SAIFI, MAIFI and CAIDI impacts (i.e., Event SAIDI, SAIFI, MAIFI, and CAIDI) associated with the major event to customers for each reliability reporting area and system-wide;

(e) restoration of service information including resources used and cost; and

(f) any other information required to be filed by the electric company as specified in its reliability program.

(2) Major event reporting for electric company whose governing authority is not the commission. Within a timely period after each event which an electric company determines satisfies the criteria for major event classification in accordance with IEEE 1366 or RUS 1730A-119, as applicable, the electric company shall provide a major event analysis to its governing authority.

 

KEY: reliability, IEEE 1366, SAIDI / SAIFI, major event

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: 2012

Authorizing and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 54-3-1; 54-4-2; 54-4-7

 

 

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