Utility meters

[ronmath]

We have a client that has been getting unusually high bills for a certain store in the DC area. It is a retail store with a total connected load of 40KW. Large loads are (2) 5 ton split systems, gas heat (no electric heat) and DX cooling. The utility is showing a meter with a multiplier of 18 (which doesn't seem right to me since the other meters in the same building are all 1's).The electric bill for service period between Oct 30, 2008 to Dec 4, 2008 was $10,246.28 for 60,120 KWH used. We don't think it's possible for them to have used this much power, only lights, few receptacles, small water heater, and fans for heat. Any suggestions? Anyone know of utilities claiming one meter installed when another actually is? Other possibilites? Thanks for your help on this.

 

[al hildenbrand]

Well,

Let's say Oct 30 thru Dec 4 is 34 days.

34 days x 24 hr / d = 816 hours.

60,120 kWh / 816 h = 73.68 kW continuous load, 24 hours a day for 34 days straight.

What are the processes and duty cycles going on in that building?

 

[ronmath]

It's a small two story retail building. As I stated, only 40 KW is connected to the panel, so I don't see any way the tenant's loads are causing this. My guess is 15 min max demand load should be somewhere around 25 KW (in the summer when the AC is on). This is just a clothing/shoe retailer.

 

[al hildenbrand]

What is the service disconnect overcurrent protective device rating. . . 200 Amps? If its 120 / 240 Volt, the maximum continuous let-thru of a 200 A OCPD is 48 kWh.

Sounds like the local power company needs to figure out what their billing department did.

 

[al hildenbrand]

Hah! I should have typed "48 kVA" to be technically accurate. . ."48 kW" would have sufficed. "48 kWh" is a typo.