Position report on ANSI C12.19 to be included in PSWG report



The following text describes NERTEC’s position in regard to the ANSI C12.19
standard (IEEE 1377).

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NERTEC supports ANSI C12.19 and recommends its adoption by the CPUC.

The rational is based on NERTEC’s conviction that to achieve a fluid,
dynamic and deregulated energy market, a minimum of interoperability
between metering devices must be obtained.

Some vendors allege that the CPUC should let the market decide which
standard, technology or communication protocol (proprietary or not) is
best. These vendors want the new market participants to decide whether to
use proprietary technology or standard protocols on which they will provide
new services.

The fact is, that deregulation of the energy market is to the benefit of
the CONSUMERS. And these consumers are not concerned about standards. They
are not troubled about ANSI C12.19, nor data tables. All they require is an
easy access to their Energy Service Provider (ESP) of their choice. All
they desire is to have the capability to change their ESP from time to
time. And this means, by changing ESP, being capable, if needed, of
changing the Meter Data Management Agent (MDMA), Meter Service Provider
(MSP), and other related market participants. The business transfers
between market participants must be done with minimum effort, so a good
deal of flexibility shall be built-in the metering system. The only way to
create the flexibility required to meet the objectives of deregulation is
to establish a minimum level of interoperability in Automatic Meter Reading
(AMR) equipment.

Achieving interchangeability among AMR products would be ideal, but most
likely impossible; because of the amount of standardization required. But
between incompatible proprietary products and interchangeable products,
there is a whole spectrum of level of interoperability. ANSI C12.19 simply
provides a structure for data definitions, format definitions and a common
syntax to handle the metering data. ANSI C12.19 does not impose any
communications media, in fact it has been designed for simplicity,
flexibility, expandability and enables innovations. It fits very simple
meters, as well as very complex meters. ANSI C12.19 assures the minimum of
interoperability; it should be considered as the foundation for further
standard development.

Where NERTEC disagrees with PSWG’s recommendation to the CPUC, is the
grandfather clause included with the recommendation. Some large AMR vendors
(some of which may become approved MDMA in California) are ready to mass
deploy proprietary AMR equipment; and facing this situation, NERTEC
believes that the grandfather clause should be time limited such as 2 or 3
years maximum. Otherwise, this may impaired the interoperability needed. 

NERTEC simply wishes that when taking the appropriate decisions, that the
CPUC avoids creating technology roadblocks to consumers accessing the new
energy market, and promote competition in the metering business.

Paul Aubin
Vice President Technology
NERTEC Design Inc.
paul@nertec.com


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