“BC Hydro Smart Metering – Technical Overview and Benefits to the Consumer”

Description:

In 2011, BC Hydro will begin implementation of the Smart Metering Program. The Smart Metering Program will pay for itself through reduced theft of electricity, energy savings, and operating efficiencies. BC Hydro’s Smart Metering Program is an important foundational step in the modernization of BC Hydro’s electricity system. The program involves replacing existing customer meters, now becoming obsolete, with a comprehensive smart metering system. This system includes the technology and telecommunications infrastructure needed for BC Hydro to continue to manage the electricity system in a reliable, safe and cost-effective manner.

This seminar is meant to give a technically-focused program overview.  The presentation will cover the project architecture from a high level, including:

•    Smart meters - digital meters that enable two-way communications between a customer’s meter and BC Hydro through a secure connection that captures the amount of electricity consumed and when.
•    Optional in-home feedback tools to provide up-to-date energy consumption and price information directly to residential and commercial customers providing them with more choices to actively manage their electricity use.
•    Systems and infrastructure to reduce electricity theft that will help to create safer communities and mitigate rate impacts borne by legitimate customers.
•    Advanced telecommunications infrastructure to allow BC Hydro to more accurately measure the actual flow of electricity through the system and support advanced electricity system management and customer applications.
•    Information technology systems to integrate meter reading data into BC Hydro’s customer billing, load forecasting and outage management systems

The Smart Metering Program will return a positive net gain of $520 million in net benefits over 20 years. These benefits will flow to customers through rates that will be lower than they otherwise would be if we did not invest in smart metering.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] The talk would be of interest to engineers in a variety of disciplines.

Speaker Background:
Stephen LaRoy graduated from UBC in Engineering Physics. After stints volunteering in Burkina Faso and working at PMC-Sierra, he started at BC Hydro in the Smart Metering program in 2008. He has been involved with metering, in-home feedback and diversion detection aspects of the project as well as running the Smart Metering Lab in 2010. He is currently working as a telecommunications network designer for the Smart Metering program where he is responsible for designing backhaul for meter data using technologies such as WiMAX, public cellular, satellite and ADSL. He is married and has a baby daughter.

Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011

Time: 6:40 – 7:15 Registration
7:00 – Breakfast is served
7:20 – Speaker start
8:30 – 9:00 – End of event

Location: Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC

PD (Professional Development Hours): 1.0 hours

Cost: Members $55; Guests $60; MAPS: $20. A hot breakfast will be provided.

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