Generation Register Errors

By Malcolm Souness - Director 221b Limited
During January 2020, we undertook an investigation into electricity meter register configurations on New Zealand electricity networks.

One of the data quality issues identified is the configuration of NHH generation meter registers.

The flow direction is used for market reconciliation - X represents consumption (eXport from the network) whilst I represents generation (Injection into the network). The only NHH meter register content code for generation is "EG" for embedded generation with 24 hours availability. The expected register configuration is I-EG-24.

Generation with Load Flow
There are 137 NHH generation registers configured as consumption, This is an illegitimate configuration that requires correction of the flow direction to "I". If the retailer relies on the Registry for reconciliation, generation on these meter registers will be submitted to the electricity market as consumption.

Generation Without 24 Hours
There are 372 NHH generation meter registers with less than 24 hours of availability. This indicates that any generation on these meters will be disconnected for between 1 and 16 hours per day.

Generation with Load Registers
There are 133 NHH meter registers configured with Injection (I) flow. If the retailer relies on the Registry for reconciliation, consumption on these registers will be submitted to the electricity market as generation.

Eliminating these errors from the Registry will improve the quality of electricity billing and market reconciliation in NZ.