Pandemic and determining existing load

[hhsting]

As you all are aware pandemic during past two years had mostly shutdown commercial buildings, schools. Devastating but how does one handle determine existing load NEC 2017 section 220.87 which call for 30 day period metering or a year worth of data while most business and schools were or are closed.

I recently had school where they are installing feeder breaker to an existing switchboard. Asked for demand and connected load per NEC 2017 section 220 they gave me a response that they took peak load from all the way back in 2019. I asked why and 220.87 call for a year worth of data and peak from that or 30 days metering they said due to pandemic everything was shutdown including schools and so year ago demand load would be low.

What is all your opinion about the above and would you say more than a year ago peak load would be acceptable or not?

 

[jaggedben]

I think their reply is logical and responsible. The age of the data matters less than that it is accurately representative of the load that needs to be accounted for.

 

[petersonra]

I think their reply is logical and responsible. The age of the data matters less than that it is accurately representative of the load that needs to be accounted for.

The code does not require that it be accurately representative. It's probably a good idea but it's not a code requirement.

 

[ptonsparky]

Peak load. Thirty days of data from an empty building means nothing and we all know that the NEC calculated loads are generally overkill.