February 9 th, 2005 Implementing Standards to Overcome Obstacles and Issues of a Smart Meter Initiative Metering Billing CRMCIS America April 12, 2005

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Province of Ontario Smart Meter Initiative Highlights Drivers  Demand increase outpacing supply  Coal-fired generation closure commitments by 2007 (25% of electrical generation)  Problems with existing nuclear plants  Transmission system constraints  Lack of investment in new generating plants Plan  Implement smart meters across Ontario for (virtually) all consumer segments (accompanied by rate re-structuring) Rationale  Providing consumers with time-based energy consumption information and time- based rates will motivate them to alter their consumption behavior using less energy at peak times of day.

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Milestones (Current under consideration)  800,000 smart meters installed in urban areas by 2008  Remainder of 4.3 million smart meters installed by 2010  5% demand reduction Metering (Current under consideration)  Residential 60 min. interval / Commercial and Industrial 15 min. interval  2-way communications  Interval presentment for first 4 months, TOU following  Consumer presentment, AVR access to energy data by 8:00 am Consumer Segments (Current under consideration)  Residential & Small Commercial  Mid Commercial (50kW to 200kW)  Large Commercial (over 200kW) Province of Ontario Smart Meter Initiative Highlights

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Discussion Topics Smart Metering Initiative Obstacles and Issues  Data collection, validation and rebuilding  Storage, process interfaces  Billing, consumer presentment, reporting  Implementation timing, multiple vendors Smart Meter Data Standard Benefits  Risk mitigation  Integration efficiencies  Better cost control or reduction Smart Meter Data Standards can mitigate risk, provide relief from implementation timelines, and lower costs associated with a Smart Meter Initiative

Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Collection  Communications capacity, timing and logistics  All formats of billing determinants (TOU, interval)  Data collection hybrids in terms of technology, features, data  Manage meter change-out process (re-verification, failures) Issue: Risk of implementation delays due to testing and certification Risk of proprietary technology commitment (Cost) Local Distribution Company Vendor “B” native Smart Meter Data Vendor “A” native Smart Meter Data Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Validation, Editing and Rebuilding Editing and Rebuilding  Residential vs. C&I business rules  Automated vs. manual intervention  Access to history for rebuilding  Data not processed by 8:00 a.m.  Time limit to process / update MDR  Audit trail For Presentment Purposes  Portraying data correctly  Updating already presented data Validation  Residential vs. C&I business rules  Dependent on data available  Simple limits for “outliers”  Cumulative to interval/TOU billing determinant comparison  More complex “missing data” rules Vendor “A” native Smart Meter Data Validation Editing and Rebuilding MDR Smart Meter Data Repository Vendor “B” native Smart Meter Data Issue: Risk of implementation delays due to testing and certification Risk of proprietary service commitment (Cost) Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Storage  Volumes (4.3 Million meters)  > 46.8 B interval readings per year  > 1.65 TB of raw interval transaction data per year alone!  Types of metered data  Interval (15 and 60 minutes)  TOU cumulative energy (multi-register)  Straight energy (single register)  Vendor formats  Types of non-metered data  Audit  Tamper  Power Quality  Other billing determinant data “Non smart” meters during implementation Wholesale metering data Consolidated meter data  Maintain consumer – meter – service address relationship  Consumer information store  Relationship consumer – meter – service address – data access Issue: Cost of non-homogeneous data management Wholesale Metering Systems Vendor “A” native Smart Meter Data MDR Smart Meter Data Repository Vendor “B” native Smart Meter Data Non-Smart Metering Systems Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Process Interfaces Energy Retailer Wholesale Metering Systems Government Reporting IESO LDC Billing & Settlement Consumer Presentment/AVR Consumer Directory Retail Metering Systems Smart Meter Data Repository MDR Wholesale Metering Systems Issue: Risk of implementation delays due to testing and certification Risk of proprietary technology commitment Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Pre-billing Processing  TOU rate structures  On/Off/Shoulder rate block  Winter/Summer rate season  Interval Data Aggregation  15/60 min. interval to daily TOU  Daily TOU to monthly TOU  Minimal requirements to aggregate  Interval data  Billing and reporting  Retail/franchise consumers  Distribution loss factor correction  Billing multipliers Aggregation Issue: Risk of proprietary service commitment (Cost) LDC Billing & Settlement MDR Smart Meter Data Repository Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Consumer-Facing Systems  Web presentment  Automatic voice response  Call centre customer reps  Consumer directory management (i.e. security) Issue: Risk of implementation delays due to testing and certification Risk of proprietary technology commitment Consumers via AVR Consumers via Internet MDR Smart Meter Data Repository Consumers via LDC call centre Obstacles and Issues

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Reporting  Audit reporting  Changes to Smart Meter data  Editing and rebuilding audit  Tracking of rules applied, when by whom  Multiple information sources  Ad-Hoc reporting  Standard tools  Open access  Operations and Exception reporting Obstacles and Issues Successful initialization of modules installed in the field Discrepancies in modules and CIS links Successful capture of meter reads – benchmark of 95% Meter read reports Module alarms and status indicators Suspected tamper and trend reports Communication link monitoring, and Status indicators for regional collectors Validation results automated (e-file/ ) Network or communication link failures Power failures Memory capacity issues or meter failures TOU time or communication module reprogram failures Issue: Risk of unknown reporting requirements

Smart Meter Data Standards and Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Standards Functionality 1. Content  Structure and format of data passed between systems. 2. Storage  Minimum requirements for amount of data to be stored and the corresponding retention periods. 3. Connectivity and Delivery  Delivery methods required to transport data between systems, including how systems locate and connect to each other. Characteristics of Functionality 1. Security  Storage and delivery must be secure, and systems and parties must be authenticated before data passes. 2. Certification Capabilities  Minimum requirements to demonstrate regulatory compliance. 3. Audit Capabilities  Ability to audit delivery and content of data, and non-repudiation of parties, especially when using independent third parties. 4. Reliability  Minimum requirements to ensure availability of systems and methods of service-interruption recovery. Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Standards Standards mitigate risk by:  Providing clear testing and certification guidelines for vendor integration  Enabling participant choice to select tools and services  Simplifying system enhancement, replacement, or insertion Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Standards Standards provide relief from aggressive timelines by:  Establishing a clear set of testing and certification guidelines, which reduces implementation timelines  Reducing integration efforts between Smart Meter components  Aligning participants to achieve a common implementation strategy Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Standards Standards help lower costs by:  Fostering a competitive market where solution vendors can offer alternative systems  Reducing effort to switch from one vendor or service provider to another  Reducing implementation, testing and certification phases Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Data Standards  Smart Meter Data Standards Working Group “To define the meter data workflow and data representation standards for the Ontario Smart Meter Initiative.” Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Smart Meter Network Network Solution

Confidential to The SPi Group Inc. For Internal Use Only. Copyright © The SPi Group Inc All Rights Reserved. Questions? Brent Williams Senior Strategic Manager Smart Meter Integration ext. 235