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Frequently Asked Questions - Data
General, Block, Load Following Full Requirements, AEC
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| General | | 1. | Q. | In the Rate Category & Load data file on the RFP Web site, does the data for Rate Schedule GS-3 in the SCI and SCI 2008+ tabs comprise data for the entire rate class or only those customers with less than 500 kW peak demand? Will data for Rate Schedule LP-4 customers with less than 500 kW peak demand be provided? | | | A. | Thank you for bringing this to PPL Electric’s attention. Updated data have been posted to the RFP Web site, and an announcement was sent to all Web site registrants on July 15, 2009 regarding this posting. Under PPL Electric's Default Service Procurement Plan (“DSPP”), Rate Schedule LP-4 customers with less than 500 kW peak demand will be included in the Small Commercial and Industrial (“Small C&I”) Customer Group and Rate Schedule GS-3 customers with 500 kW or greater peak demand will be included in the Large Commercial and Industrial (“Large C&I”) Customer Group. The determination of peak demand will be based on the customer's peak load contribution to PJM peak load in the PJM 2008-2009 Planning Year. This initial determination of peak demand and classification of customers will remain effective for the entire term of PPL Electric’s DSPP. Historical hourly load data provided for Rate Schedule GS-3 customers and Rate Schedule LP-4 customers do not include the breakdowns based on the initial determination of peak demand. However, customer counts and load percentages based on the initial determination of peak demand and classification of customers are provided in the “main” tab of the updated load data spreadsheet. Monthly sales and customer count information have been updated to provide additional data for Rate Schedule GS-3 and LP-4 customers between the Small C&I Group and the Large C&I Group based on the initial determination of peak demand and classification of customers. | | | | | 2. | Q. | Why are there gaps of data missing in the Residential and SC&I historical hourly data files? | | A. | Historical load data is not available the period 12/23/2007-1/02/2008 and 2/21/2008. PPL Electric has been deploying an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) over the past few years, which has resulted in the replacement of all 1.4 million meters. As with any new system, there have been some problems during the transition, which have resulted in the loss of hourly load data. PPL Electric has been working with their vendors in an effort to eliminate issues such as this. PPL electric is also installing a Meter Data Management System, which will be functional later in 2009, that will ensure that hourly data are available for all hours. | | | | | 3. | Q. | Please provide historical hourly data broken out by all eligible customers, default service customers, and shopping customers. | | A. | As stated on the tab of the data spreadsheet labeled "Main," all load values are total retail (including shopping). PPL Electric only has aggregate load data for shopping customers. Currently, most of the shopping customers are in the Large Commercial and Industrial ("C&I") Group and supply for the Large C&I customers is not part of the August 2009 solicitation. PPL Electric does not have historical hourly load data for shopping customers broken out for the rate schedules in the Residential Group or the Small C&I Group. | | | | | 4. | Q. | How are the PLCs provided in the RFP Rules calculated, and what is the underlying reason for the jump in the Residential PLC and Small C&I PLC values compared to the March 2009 solicitation under PPL Electric’s Competitive Bridge Plan? | | A. | PJM Forecasted PLCs are referenced in DSPP RFP Documents and are used to delineate the number of tranches and tranche size (MW) which are then used in the RFP auction. They represent expected PLC based upon the PPL Zone according to PJM – taking into consideration a number of factors including, but not limited to customer and consumption growth, weather variations, and economic trending. There are a number of reasons why 2010 forecast PLCs differ from 2011 & 2012 PLCs – the first of which is that the 2010 PLCs referenced in the CBP are the result of a forecast based upon 2005 peak load, whereas the 2011 and 2012 PLCs referenced in the DSPP are the result of a forecast based upon 2008 peak load. The more recent PLCs incorporates updated assumptions not previously available in 2005 – the greatest of which are changes in weather and economic trending. Please reference the 2009 PJM Load Forecast Report (found here) which dictates differences from the 2008 Forecast PLC and includes projected PLCs per zone. Important take-away points from this report include a 4.2% decrease in forecast 2008 PLC to forecast 2009 PLC. Furthermore, page 13 of the report shows two graphs (summer and winter peak demand) that include actual historic demand and forecast demand; both of which show significant changes from season to season and year to year. Finally, the report also shows that PPL’s forecast 2011 and 2012 values are nearly exactly the same as PJM forecast values. We would like to emphasize that all of these PLCs are “forecast” values, based upon a litany of assumptions, and therefore will change to match actual peak load once supply begins. Also available are historic PLC values found in the “Rate Category and Load Data” workbook on PPL’s DSPP Site (found here), which show changes and variations in PPL Zone PLC from year to year, from 2004 to 2008. | | | | | 5. | Q. | Please provide the latest PLC values from June 2009 through May 2010 for both Residential and Small C&I Customer Groups. | | A. | Please see the file titled “PPL_ICAP_PLC_Values_072209.xls”, available here. | | | | | 6. | Q. | Please provide the hourly aggregate historical load for the adjusted GS-3 (without 500 kW and above) and adjusted LP-4 (without 500 kW and below) categories. | | A. | PPL Electric is unable to provide hourly aggregate historical load due to the way PPL Electric’s system gathers and breaks-down the data according to profile type. PPL Electric’s load data is an aggregate load value across all rate classes – each rate class has an applicable load profile associated with it, which is then applied to the aggregate load number to break-down this number into specific rate classes. Because those customers within the rates classes GS-3 and LP-4 above and below 500 kW are imbedded in the rate profile for GS-3 and LP-4 as a whole, not based upon kW usage, they are unable to be specifically broken out. This is unlike energy usage data which is aggregated on a bottom-up approach, aggregating usage data on a meter by meter basis. For this reason, monthly break-downs of GS-3 and LP-4 customers (according to the 500 kW split) is the only data available within the “Rate Category & Load Data” spreadsheet. | | | | | 7. | Q. | What process is PPL Electric required to follow to change the classification of customers, rate classes or strata among Customer Supply Groups? Will PPL Electric publicly file with the PUC if the Company were to propose making such a change? What notification and revised load data will PPL Electric provide to Sellers and RFP Bidders? | | A. | The Customer Supply Groups are defined in the Default Service Procurement Plan reviewed and approved by the Commission. Those Customer Supply Groups are: The Residential Customer Group, which includes rate schedules RS, RTS and RTD. The Small Commercial Customer Group, which includes small commercial and industrial customers served under rate schedules GS-1, GH-1, GH-2, IS-1, BL, SA, SM, SHS, SE, TS, SI-1, Standby and the customers from the following rate schedules whose peak demand is less than 500 kW: GS-3, LP-4. The Large Commercial and Industrial Customer Group includes customers on rate schedules ISP, LP-5, LP-6, LPEP, IST, ISM and the customers from the following rate schedules whose peak demand is equal to or greater than 500 kW: GS-3, LP-4. PPL Electric does not expect to change the rate schedules that are part of each Customer Supply Group for the duration of the PUC-approved Default Service Procurement Plan, other than as required to comply with applicable regulation and/or legislation. If any change to the rate schedules that are part of each Customer Supply Group occur, notification will be issued.
The PPL Electric EGS Coordination tariff explains the process of developing the load profile for each rate class and can be found at: click here. Any changes to the EGS Coordination tariff must be submitted to the PUC for review. | | | | | 8. | Q. | When does the reclassification of GS-3 customers with peak demand equal or greater than 500 kW and LP-4 customers with peak demand less than 500 kW take effect? | | A. | This reclassification of GS-3 customers with peak demand equal or greater than 500 kW and LP-4 customers with peak demand less than 500 kW takes effect on January 1, 2011. Under PPL Electric's Default Service Procurement Plan (“DSPP”), Rate Schedule LP-4 customers with less than 500 kW peak demand will be included in the Small Commercial and Industrial (“Small C&I”) Customer Group and Rate Schedule GS-3 customers with 500 kW or greater peak demand will be included in the Large Commercial and Industrial (“Large C&I”) Customer Group. The determination of peak demand will be based on the customer's peak load contribution to PJM peak load in the PJM 2008-2009 Planning Year. This initial determination of peak demand and classification of customers will remain effective for the entire term of PPL Electric’s DSPP. | | | | | 9. | Q. | What is the current PLC and NSPL per tranche for Residential and Small Commercial & Industrial customers? | | A. | The capacity Peak Load Contribution values for the PJM planning year from June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010 are: Residential: 2876 MW
Small Commercial & Industrial: 1976 MW
Large Commercial & Industrial: 1885 MW The NSPL or Network Service Peak Load value applies only to transmission costs for which PPL Electric is responsible and is not a component of the supplier’s costs; therefore is not provided. As stated in section 2.3 of the Full Requirements SMA, “Buyer shall be responsible, at its sole cost and expense, for the provision of Network Integration Transmission Service for PPL Electric customers and distribution service necessary to serve the Specified Percentage.” | | | | | 10. | Q. | Please confirm that the PLC provided for the Small Commercial and Industrial Group excludes all customers in the LP-4 rate schedule. If that is so, please provide the PLCs of GS-3 customers that would be removed since their peak demand is >500 kW and the PLCs of the LP-4 customers who will be added since their peak demand is <500 kW. | | A. | This is correct, the PLC provided for the Small Commercial and Industrial Group excludes all customers in the LP-4 rate schedule. We are unable to provide the requested information at this time. As described in question Data/General FAQ-4, the PLCs for Residential Customers, Small C&I and Large C&I are all forecast PLCs, calculated by PPL Electric for the rate classes and their customers within those classes. The gross PLC value is based on the prior years peak, which is weather normalized, and then this value is broken down by rate class according to the rate class profile. The current profile does not include this distinction (the GS-3 and LP-4 customers > and < 500 kW) and attempting to remove specific customers from the profile could disrupt the integrity of the profile. Also, please note that these PLCs are forecasts and will change once actual supply begins. | | | | | 11. | Q. | With reference to the information regarding GS-3 and LP-4 customer breakdowns provided on the main tab of the “Rate Category & Load Data” workbook, it appears that you used some sort of PLC data to supply estimates of the energy and customer count breakouts. Why can't the PLCs be summed to provide PLC Data for the Small C&I customer group? | | A. | The data regarding GS-3 and LP-4 customers supplied in the on the main tab of the “Rate Category & Load Data” workbook, breaking out customer counts and estimated kWh usage was derived looking at actual historical usage data by customer (as provided in the Rate Category & Load Data workbook on the DSPP website), not vetting out these numbers based upon capacity values. As described in Data/General FAQ-10, rate class profiles do not currently exists for 2011 and beyond, therefore PLCs for GS-3 and LP-4 cannot be individually tabulated. For this reason, PLCs cannot be summed, as you have requested. Please see also Data/General FAQ-12 for more information. | | | | | 12. | Q. | With reference to Data/General FAQ-10 and Data/General FAQ-11, please provide a breakout of the 2009-10 PLCs, which are in existence today, for Small C&I (with GS-3 and LP-4 Customers below 500 kW) and Large C&I customers (with GS-3 and LP-4 Customers at or above 500 kW). | | A. | The data system is not currently set up to retrieve and delineate the requested capacity data according to the 500 kW break-out for GS-3 and LP-4 customers. While the raw information exists, the classes are currently delineated according to a predescribed profile, not aggregated as usage data is from individual customer meters. The historical capacity PLC data posted on the RFP Web site was not developed by summing individual customer PLCs, but by using profiles. Hence, it is not an easy exercise to change customer group definition. PPL Electric is attempting to pull the requested data, but will not be able to provide this information before the Bid Proposal Due Date of August 11, 2009, for this first solicitation. This information will be posted to the RFP Web site when it becomes available and an announcement will be sent to all web site registrants. PPL Electric expects to have this information available in time for the second solicitation Bid Proposal Due Date of October 20, 2009. Please note that data has been posted, which shows GS-3 loads relative to total SC&I loads and LP-4 loads relative to LC&I loads. Data has also been provided, which shows the percent of GS-3 sales above 500 kW and the percent of LP-4 sales under 500 kW. Hence using energy based ratios you can estimate PLC values. Please also see Data/General FAQ-5 for the file titled “PPL_ICAP_PLC_Values_072209.xls” regarding the latest PLC values for all Customer Groups. | | | | | 13. | Q. | Please provide PLCs by rate class for all eligible customers, default service customers, and shopping customers. | | A. | Please refer to the Rate Category and Load Data found (here) for PLC data broken out by month and for all customer classes. We are unable to provide any greater granularity on this data at this time. Please refer to Data/General FAQ-4 for more information. | | | | | 14. | Q. | Will hourly data for May 2009 and/or June 2009 be added to the Rate Category and Load Data file? | | A. | Prior to each solicitation, PPL Electric will update the RFP Web site with the most up-to-date information available. PPL Electric does not expect there to be an update to the data on the Web site prior to the Bid Proposal Due date for this August, 2009 solicitation. | | | | | 15. | Q. | The highest historical PLC for the Residential Group in the last three years has been 2,975, however, forecast PLCs are in the 3,500 to 3,700 range. Please explain the over 20% growth expected in this class by 2011. | | A. | There are a number of reasons why 2010 forecast PLCs differ from 2011 & 2012 PLCs, and concurrently, why they do not seemingly match provided historical values. Historical values are actuals, whereas forecast values are based on a number of assumptions and trending, derived through PJM modeling assumptions. Please reference question 4 above which describes how forecast PLCs are derived by PJM. Also, please take into consideration that the forecast values are just that, forecasts, and therefore will change when actual peak load contributions become available once supply starts. | | | | | 16. | Q. | How is the tranche size calculated? | | A. | The tranche size is calculated by dividing 100% by the total number of tranches for a Customer Group. The total number of tranches for a Customer Group is determined on the basis of the Peak Load Contribution (not on the basis of historical hourly load data) determined so that each tranche is approximately 50 MW of PLC for that Customer Group. Please note that the PLC for a Customer Group includes customers on Default Service as well as customers that take service from an EGS. Please see Data/General FAQ-4 for information about how the PLCs provided in the RFP Rules are calculated. As stated in section 1.1.16 of the RFP Rules, “…A Default Service Supplier serving one tranche in a particular product for a Customer Group is responsible for serving a fixed percentage of that Customer Group’s Default Service Load represented by one tranche…” | | | | | 17. | Q. | The sum of the 2008 MWh for the GL rate class in the “Rate Categories and Load Data” file equals 2,185,799 MWh. The sum of the 2008 MWh for the GL rate class in the “Size Distributions” file equals 1,982,234 MWh. Which one of these data sets is correct? | | | A. | First, there is no GL rate class – there is a BL rate class and a series of GS rate classes. We believe the 2,185,799 MWh value you supplied comes from adding the 2008 Small C&I data for GS-1 and BL (under Rate Category & Load Data); we also believe the 1,982,234 MWh value is derived by adding the GS-1 data for 2008 (under Size Distributions). Based upon this assumption, the reason there is a difference between these values is that the MWh value in the Rate Category & Load Data includes BL, or Borderline, customers which is an estimate value – BL is not included as a component of the GS-1 MWh within the Size Distribution file. Both are correct values and can be used, but simply contain different classes as defined in the heading. | | | | | | 18. | Q. | In the main tab of the rate categories and load data file, customer counts are provided for the GS3 (20,642) and LP4 (1,016) rate classes. What date are these customer counts as of? Why don't these customer counts correspond to the counts in the MonthlyBillCounts tab of the same spreadsheet for either class? | | A. | The customer count break-outs for GS-3 and LP-4 customers on the “Main” tab of the Rate Category and Load Data workbook were tabulated as of June 10, 2009. The summed values you’ve provided in your question differ from the Monthly Billed Counts because many small and large commercial and industrial customers receive multiple bills, but are listed as a single customer. Thus, there will be a difference between the customer count numbers and monthly billed counts. | | | | | 19. | Q. | What was the PLC on 5/31/09, 6/1/09 and 9/30/09 for all three customer classes? | | A. | PPL Electric does not currently have this information readily available. | | | | | 20. | Q. | What was the NSPL on 12/31/07, 1/1/08, 12/31/08, 1/1/09, 9/30/09? | | A. | PPL Electric does not currently have this information readily available. | | | | | 21. | Q. | Would you please post the most recent load data for all rate classes, specifically for months July, August, and September 2009? | | A. | The Rate Category & Load data and PJM De-ration Factor data have been updated. The Rate Categories and Load Data file has been updated to include hourly load data for each of the Customer Groups through July 2009. In addition, updated PJM deration factors have been posted with data through September 2009. An announcement was sent to Qualified Bidders in the October 2009 solicitation of the RFPs on October 15, 2009. | | | | | Block | | | | No questions submitted for this category at this time. | | | | | | | | | Load Following Full Requirements | | 1. | Q. | Are the historical load data provided on the RFP Web site de-rated for marginal losses? | | | A. | No. Historical load data provided on the RFP Web site are not de-rated for marginal losses. However, hourly loss duration factors are provided on the RFP Web site so that each supplier may perform this calculation. | | | | | | 2. | Q. | Will suppliers be responsible for hourly loss de-rated load, and be paid for this level of load? | | A. | Yes. For settlement purposes, suppliers will be responsible for the hourly loss de-rated load, and will be paid by PPL Electric for this hourly loss de-rated load. | | | | | 3. | Q. | To clarify the definition of energy supply equal to hourly loss de-rated load, is this the same load as defined by PJM reports of “Load without Losses?” | | A. | The “Market Settlement Overview” on the PJM Web site indicates on page 99 that many billing items including spot market energy, congestion and reserve obligations are settled on what PJM calls “lossless load.” Other items such as capacity obligation and Network Transmission Service are settled on what PJM calls “Load + Losses.” PPL Electric reports to PJM hourly loads that include all applicable transmission and distribution losses. To access these hourly load data: click here. PJM derates these losses by marginal loss de-ration factors to derive settlement loads for spot market energy, congestion, reserve obligations and other items as indicated on page 99 of the referenced document. To access the marginal loss deration factors: click here. These loads, which include all losses and are de-rated for marginal losses, are the basis for PJM settlement and the basis for payment under the PPL Electric master agreements. It hence seems plausible that what PJM reports as “Load without Losses” is equivalent to load de-rated for marginal losses, but we have not been able to confirm that. We suggest that you contact PJM to confirm that what they report as “Load without Losses” is equivalent to the load de-rated for marginal losses. | | | | | 4. | Q. | If supplier delivers 100 MW, is that supplier paid for 100 MW? | | A. | PPL Electric Utilities will report to PJM loads that include all distribution and transmission losses (including PJM assigned 500 kV losses and unaccounted for energy). PJM will loss derate those loads for settlement purposes. For settlement purposes, suppliers will be responsible for the hourly loss de-rated load, and will be paid by PPL Electric for this hourly loss de-rated load. If the hourly loss derated load for your tranches is 100 MW in an hour you will be required to deliver 100 MW and will be paid for 100 MW. | | | | | 5. | Q. | In Full Requirements RFP Rules, the PLC (MW) for the Residential Customer Group are 3765 (01/01/11-05/31/11) and 3585 (06/01/11-12/31/11). Are these PLCs excluding 300 MW block supply contracts and up to an additional 50 MW of long-term unit entitlement supply contract or including both of them? For January-May, 2011, is the obligation 3765 or 3765-300 = 3465? | | A. | The PLC (MW) for the Residential Customer Group as provided in the Full Requirements RFP Rules is for the entire Residential Customer Group.
Please note that these numbers are 'forecasts' or projections of PLCs, and will change to match actual peak load contributions once actual supply begins at the commencement of the supply period. For historical PLC data please see the Rate Category & Load Data from 2001 to present found here. Please also see Data/General FAQ-4 and Data/General FAQ-15 for additional information. | | | | | 6. | Q. | The forecast PLCs of the Residential Group as provided in Full Requirements RFP Rules is significantly higher than the current and historical PLCs even considering load growth rate. How are the forecast PLCs in Full Requirements RFP Rules for the Residential Group estimated? | | A. | Please refer to Data/General FAQ-4 and Data/General FAQ-15 for information related to your question. PPL Electric would like to emphasize that all of the PLCs provided in the Full Requirements RFP Rules are “forecast” values, based upon a litany of assumptions, and therefore will change to match actual peak load once supply begins. Also available are historic PLC values found in the “Rate Category and Load Data” workbook on PPL's DSPP Site, which show changes and variations in PPL Zone PLC from year to year, from 2004 to 2008. | | | | | 7. | Q. | The 2011 projected PLC as provided in the RFP Rules is 3585-3765 MW. Does this include long-term supply from NYPA, 300 MW block energy RFP, and up to 50 MW unit entitlement supply? In other words, to derive the load per tranche, before I apply the tranche size, do I need to deduct NYPA supply, the 300 MW from the Block Supply RFP, and unit entitlement supply from my total load forecast? | | A. | The PLC (MW) for the Residential Customer Group as provided in the Full Requirements RFP Rules is for the entire Residential Customer Group including the portions to be served by long-term supply from NYPA, by the 300 MW block energy RFP, and by the 50 MW unit entitlement supply.
Please note that these numbers are 'forecasts' or projections of PLCs, and will change to match actual peak load contributions once actual supply begins at the commencement of the supply period. For historical PLC data please see the Rate Category & Load Data from 2001 to present: found here. For historical data related to the NYPA supply, please see the Historical NYPA Load Hourly Supply file: found here. Please also see Data/General FAQ-4 and Data/General FAQ-15 for additional information. | | | | | AEC | | | | No questions submitted for this category at this time. | | | |
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