Electricity monitoring system

• US 5,842,187 A
• Filed: 01/06/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elexon Limited
• Original Assignee: Optimum Solutions Pte Limited
• Inventors: Williams, Paul Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/716,457
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 324/103 R, 324/116, 324/140 R, 324/142, 340/870.02, 364/400, 364/483, 705/1, 705/34, 705/412, 702/61, 702/62, 702/64
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1333 adapted for special tariff measuring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

An apparatus associated with a public electricity distribution network to determine charges for the supplied electricity where the period during which consumption is measured (the metered period) is longer than the period used for settling the price or value of the electricity (the settlements period) and where the charge can be determined for either the metered period or the settlements period. The apparatus further provides means for adjusting charges such that the total charges equals the total owed or that total minus a defined amount. Means are also provided whereby the apparatus does not require metered data from all consumers connected to the network. The apparatus also provides means for determining the value of the supplied electricity where a plurality of generation sites exist each of which separately valued.

Claims

1. A method of determining a charge in respect to consumption of electricity supplied from an electricity distribution network and priced in successive sub-periods,

the network incorporating a closure having one or more input supply connections all of which are metered and output connections including at least one metered output,

the method comprising:

using information derived from the metered inputs to the closure to determine a profile indicating the variation in the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over the sub-periods;

metering each metered output to determine the quantity of electricity taken by that output over a metered period, longer than each sub-period, for that output;

determining an apportionment of metered consumption between the sub-periods in dependence on the profile; and

determining a charge for the consumption in dependence on the quantities of metered consumption and the apportionment.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step comprises forming a single aggregate charge for the supply to a plurality of the closure outputs.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step includes apportioning quantities of the metered consumption for a plurality of the metered outputs to determine an apportioned quantity of the consumption in the sub-periods for the aggregate of the metered outputs.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the profile is dependent on the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over the sub-periods.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the profile is dependent on the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over the sub-periods minus the quantity of consumption for a least some of the outputs of the closure.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the profile is additionally dependent on a predetermined weighting for each sub-period.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charging step includes adjusting electricity distribution losses in the closure.

8. A method according to claim 1 further including determining one or more interim consumption charges before consumption data for the metered output becomes available, and subsequently modifying the interim consumption charges by reference to the actual consumption.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the closure comprises a national electricity transmission network.

10. a method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step includes adjusting the charges such that the total of all charges in respect of all electricity supplied by the closure equals the cost of that electricity.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the adjustment is a scalar adjustment.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step includes adjusting the charges such that the total of all charges in respect of all electricity supplied by the closure differs from the cost of that electricity by a desired amount.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the adjustment is a scalar adjustment.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step for a sub-period comprises dividing a collective value of electricity supplied during the sub-period, said collective value representing the value of electricity consumed by a group of closure outputs, by the collective quantity of electricity supplied to said group of closure outputs during the metered period of the metered output.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the group of closure outputs includes all of the closure outputs, the collective value of electricity supplied during the sub-period being determined by aggregating the value of all electricity supplied to the closure during the sub-period, and the collective quantity of electricity supplied being determined by aggregating the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein:

the collective value of electricity supplied during the sub-period is determined by aggregating the value of all electricity supplied to the closure during the sub-period and subtracting the value of electricity supplied to those closure outputs not within said group of outputs, and

determining the collective quantity of electricity supplied by aggregating the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure and subtracting the consumption of those closure outputs not within said group of outputs.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the closure is supplied by a plurality of generating companies, and further including the step of determining, with respect to charges determined for electricity supplied by the closure to the outputs of the closure, a ratio in which those charges are partitioned between the generating companies.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to an input point.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to all inputs to the closure.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to one or more outputs of the closure.

21. A method according to claim 1 wherein the charge determining step includes apportioning the quantity of metered consumption for each metered output to determine an apportioned quantity of the consumption in a sub-period and to determine a charge for the sub-period therefrom.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the apportioned quantity of the consumption in a sub-period is determined in dependence on a ratio of (a) the quantity of electricity consumption in the sub-period representing a group of outputs of the closure and (b) the quantity of electricity consumption of that group of outputs during the metered period of the metered output.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the consumption of the group of outputs of the closure is the total quantity of electricity supplied to the closure.

24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the consumption of the group of outputs of the closure is the total quantity of electricity supplied to the closure minus the consumption of one or more outputs of the closure.

25. A method of determining a charge with respect to consumption of electricity in an electricity distribution network having a plurality of outputs where the electricity is priced for successive half-hour periods, the network a closure, such that:

i) the inputs to the closure include substations at which the voltage is transformed down for entry into the closure, the voltage being transformed down at grid supply points;

ii) all inputs to the closure have half-hour metering; and

iii) the closure including and being recorded as half-hourly data, one or more first outputs which are metered using half-hour metering, and one or more second outputs, which are metered over metered periods longer than half an hour,

the method comprising;

a) determining a profile indicating a variation in the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over half-hour periods by subtracting loss adjusted metered consumption for the half-hourly first metered outputs of the closure from the aggregate quantity of electricity supplied to the closure determined using the half-hour metering of the inputs to the closure;

b) metering each metered output to determine the quantity of electricity taken by that output over its metered period, said quantity of electricity being an indication of metered consumption;

c) determining an apportioned quantity of consumption in each half-hour for an aggregate of the second metered outputs to derive an indication of aggregate half-hour consumption, the aggregate of the second metered outputs being dependent on the quantities of metered consumption for the metered outputs, the profile, and a predetermined weighting for each half-hour;

d) forming a charge for the supply to the metered outputs dependent on the indication of aggregate half-hour consumption;

e) before consumption data for each of the metered outputs becomes available, determining one or more interim charges for the supply;

f) when actual metered consumption data become available, modifying the interim charges by reference to the actual metered consumption data; and

g) adjusting the charge using a scalar adjustment such that the aggregate of all charges in a half-hour period equals the cost of electricity with respect to all electricity supplied to the closure during that period.

26. Apparatus for determining charges for the consumption of electricity supplied from an electricity distribution network and priced in successive sub-periods,

the network incorporating a closure having one or more input supply connections all of which are metered and output connections including at least one metered output,

the apparatus comprising:

means using information derived from the metered inputs to the closure for determining profile indicating variations in a quantity of electricity supplied tot he closure over the sub-periods;

metering apparatus for each metered output for determining the quantity of electricity taken by that output over a metered period, longer than each sub-period, for that output;

means for determining an apportionment of the quantity of metered consumption between the sub-periods in dependence on the profile; and

charging means for determining the charge for the consumption in dependence on the quantity of metered consumption and the apportionment.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means comprises means for forming a single aggregate charge for the supply to a plurality of closure outputs.

28. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means includes means for apportioning quantities of the metered consumption for a plurality of the metered outputs for determining an apportioned quantity of the consumption in the sub-periods for the aggregate of metered outputs.

29. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the profile is dependent on the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over the sub-periods.

30. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the profile is dependent on the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure over the sub-periods minus the quantity of consumption for at least some of the outputs of the closure.

31. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the profile is additionally dependent on a predetermined weighting for each sub-period.

32. Apparatus according claims 26 wherein the charging means makes an adjustment for electricity distribution losses in the closure.

33. Apparatus according to claim 26 further including means for determining one or more interim charges for the consumption before consumption data for the metered output become available, and subsequently modifying the interim charges by reference to the actual consumption.

34. Apparatus of claim 26 wherein the adjustment is a scalar adjustment.

35. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the closure comprises a national electricity transmission network.

36. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means includes means for making an adjustment to a determined charge such that the total of all charges with respect to all electricity supplied by the closure equals the cost of that electricity.

37. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means includes means for making an adjustment to a determined charge such that the total of all charges with respect to all electricity supplied by the closure differs from the cost of that electricity by a desired amount.

38. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means includes means for dividing the collective value of electricity supplied during a sub-period, said collective value representing the value of electricity consumed by a group of closure outputs, by the collective quantity of electricity supplied to said group of closure outputs during the metered period of the metered output.

39. Apparatus according to claim 38 wherein the group of closure outputs includes all closure outputs, the collective value of electricity supplied during the sub-period being determined by aggregating the value of all electricity supplied to the closure during the sub-period, and the collective quantity of electricity supplied being determined by aggregating the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure.

40. Apparatus according to claim 38 wherein:

the collective value of electricity supplied during the sub-period is determined by aggregating the value of all electricity supplied to the closure during the sub-period and subtracting the value of electricity supplied to those closure outputs not within said group of outputs, and

the collective quantity of electricity supplied is determined by aggregating the quantity of electricity supplied to the closure and subtracting the consumption of those closure outputs not within said group of outputs.

41. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the charging means includes means for apportioning the quantity of metered consumption for each metered output for determining an apportioned quantity of the consumption in a sub-period and for determining a charge for the sub-period therefrom.

42. Apparatus according to claim 41 wherein the apportioned quantity of the consumption in a sub-period is determined in dependence on the ratio of (a) the quantity of electricity consumption in the sub-period representing a group of outputs of the closure and (b) the quantity of electricity consumption of that group of outputs during the metered period of the metered output.

43. Apparatus according to claim 42 wherein the consumption of the group of outputs of the closure is the total quantity of electricity supplied to the closure.

44. Apparatus according to claim 42 wherein the consumption of the group of outputs of the closure is the total quantity of electricity supplied to the closure minus the consumption of one or more outputs of the closure.

45. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the closure is supplied by a plurality of generating companies and further including means for determining, with respect to charges determined for electricity supplied by the closure to the outputs of the closure, a ratio of charges partitioned between the generating companies.

46. Apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to an input point.

47. Apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to all inputs to the closure.

48. Apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the ratio is determined with respect to one or more outputs of the closure.