Submetering

[ElectriPat]

Good morning
I've been tasked with providing an estimate for a new multinational Aerospace company a few towns away, who recently took over managing their own facilities and are ditching the out if state contractors they were forced to use prior. This client will be soon subletting a portion of their 80k sq ft facility to another Aerospace company. The section that is to be sublet has 2 480v overhead bus (GE) that I will submeter with splitcore sensors at the breakers in one of the services. That's simple, the problem is there is a 3rd overhead bus that has quite a few (haven't counted) busplugs feeding the clients equipment and then at least 3 busplugs feeding the subletted space. There will be walls put up and open spaces for more busplugs to be added by the subletting company. My initial plan was to run pairs and put sensors in the busplugs to submeter the tenants power use.... but now I'm thinking about how they could potentially add busplugs. Wanted to get some thoughts from you all here. Power bill is approximately 300k annually here so they are very concerned about getting ahead of this. Suppliers and sales reps are pretty clueless with this stuff but I have researched and been provided costs with Emon as that's what I'm familiar with...

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Submetering for billing purposes is not permitted in all states.

 

[jim dungar]

Submetering for billing purposes is not permitted in all states.

Most states allow submetering in order to apportion a single utility bill. I am not aware of any state that allows profit to be made on submetering, although minor administrative fees may be allowed.

 

[ElectriPat]

The law in CT allows submetering of electricity. What happens once my installation is completed is out of my hands. This is more of an application question not a legal one. Thanks

 

[Todd0x1]

Consider doing it the other way around. Meter the 3rd bus at the source and meter the owner's loads with the difference between the two being the tenant's usage (don't forget about properly measuring demand -that could be an expensive error). Another (likely very expensive option) would be to get one of the bus duct places to make you a piece containing CTs and some fused voltage taps to replace a section of the existing bus where it enters the tenant space.

 

[ElectriPat]

Consider doing it the other way around. Meter the 3rd bus at the source and meter the owner's loads with the difference between the two being the tenant's usage (don't forget about properly measuring demand -that could be an expensive error). Another (likely very expensive option) would be to get one of the bus duct places to make you a piece containing CTs and some fused voltage taps to replace a section of the existing bus where it enters the tenant space.

Great suggestion, the bus goes through a restricted access laser area so I will request to get in there. It will cost them more on the front end but thats ok. The emon 3400 series does khw &ndemand and my understanding that I relayed to the client is if they increase overall power usage at times the utility will raise their rates. We already pay the most in the contentinental US, sadly. I'm a little sketchy about modifications of the existing busway, but very helpful suggestion indeed. I may contact the local GE supplier (who switched to eaton since GE left CT) to see the options. That way I can do a cost analysis. Thank you.