Mike Thompson, National Grid Representative, Meter/Bill Questions Received 12/7/2009
1. The meters are read in three ways. The large service for the main campus is read remotely via a phone line.
The medium-sized accounts are read manually and the smaller accounts are read using a van equipped with automated meter reading technology (AMR) that drive down the street and reads meters. These are the only technologies we currently use and AMR is not available for medium and large accounts.
2. We try to have 100% actual reads but there are times when the meter readers do not locate the meter or when the AMR device does not pick up the signal. In those cases, the bills are estimated so we can get something out to WPI rather than wait for the next month and bill for two months.
3. The main campus power is fed from our Faraday Street substation. Most of the rest of the campus is fed from this substation as well, but from various feeders, so it is possible for one area to be without power while the rest of the campus has power.
Thank you, Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson, C.E.M.
Account Executive National Grid
939 Southbridge Street Worcester, MA 01610 Phone: (508) 860-6518 Fax: (315) 460-8445
From: Grudzinski, William G [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 8:07 PM To: Thompson, Michael A.
Cc: '[email protected]'; Grudzinski, William G Subject: WPI Project Group - Meter Questions
CXXV | P a g e Hello Mike,
We have made some progress with our project, but have developed a few questions we would like to ask you:
1. How are the electric meters on WPI-owned properties (both on- and off-campus) read? We were wondering whether these were read over the internet/phone lines or if someone physically comes around to check them.
a. If read electronically, how does that system work? Is it IP technology on internet lines or is it using phone lines?
b. If read in person, why haven’t they looked into going to an electronic reading system?
Perhaps there are benefits to having actual people coming around to read them?
2. We noticed that some bills state they were estimated, while others say actual. Is there any reason that some would be estimated and some would be actually read?
3. During our analysis, we began wondering where the electricity that feeds WPI comes from. Is there a substation or a particular plant WPI is fed from? This question arose when we noticed a blackout along Park Avenue a few weeks ago, but WPI was unaffected.
Thank you very much for your continued support of our project, and thanks for taking the time to read these questions. We look forward to hearing from you again soon!
William Grudzinski, Jr.
Mark Hawthorne Stephen Tetreault [email protected]
James Cleary, National Grid Lead Senior Engineer, Co-Generation Received 11/19/2009
Bill, Mark, Steve,
I'd am buried at work (with DG studies!) but I am very interested in WPI doing the right thing. and would spend some times with you guys if needed.
I would enjoy working with you guys a bit on advise ..whatever.
CXXVI | P a g e In fact after that robotic conference I emailed John Orr and a few others complimenting him on that program. I took my son and daughter and enjoyed it. He had emailed me back about NGrid work with Smart Grid in
Worcester and I sent him some answers ( I was somewhat involved in that ). I was going to bring up to him - how I hope WPI seriously considers co-gen or small co-gen for the new building on campus when I learned it was going forward. I think its a perfect building for it with pool (pool heating) and lots of domestic hot water (showers) and thermal demand even in summer ..somewhat.
Large facilities (like UMass hospital 12 to 15 MW peak load) use and will use absorption cooling - using waste heat to take advantage of co-gen thermal waste heat in summer. We are seeing more and more of that.
I am a local alum as you know so I have an interest in WPI's development. I often go to IEEE or ASME talks, project presentation day, MQP presentations, WPI guest speakers etc.
I do think the new Rec center may be a great candidate for co-gen. As you know the key thing is to have some thermal load (mostly year round is possible) to take advantage of co-gen full benefits...and create electricity and allow excess to fed back into the campus to reduce purchases from us.
It may be only that one 75 kW co-gen unit or two of them is all that is needed. I deal with them quite often actually. I do DG interconnections studies at National Grid.
He is a sample of a recent small co-gen job in Worcester (see attached email and screening memo we do to check things). treat it confidentially...should not be a problem but just use it for your own and WPI's use.
Common things (distributed generation) I see being put in by private developers and investors:
co-gen systems 75 kW is common - Worcester housing authority is in the process of putting in 3 system in Worcester. We just got those application and we do a Screening analysis to make sure there are no complex problems associated with the electrical interconnect.
The 75 kV co-gen units can give off about
I see wind turbines: I did the impact study for Holy Name, (600 kW) en electrically heated high school, Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA (ski area - high electrical demand in winter), Richey Woodworking in Newburyport just put in a 600 kW in January.
Solar farms- I have about 50 MW of proposed solar projects in Central Ma that I am studying.
CXXVII | P a g e UMass hospital, Smith college both I was recently involved with from the electric utility perspective on Co-gen installations or upgrades. UMass has 10 MW of generators and Smith did a 3.5 MW co-gen unit
Jim Cleary WPI '86 EE MBA 1991
James Cleary, P.E.
Lead Senior Engineer
Network Asset Planning
Electricity Distribution Operations
National Grid USA
(508) 860-6369
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