Earlier this year, we instituted a proceeding and solicited comments on the proposals from interested persons and organizations. The five years of data, however, contained four years of data that may have had inconsistent elements that were included. This was due to the fact that in 1989 the Commission revised the rule specifying how electric service interruptions were to be recorded and reported. The new rule defined the criteria for major storms and partial power outages. This resulted in consistent reporting, but may have altered the data used in determining the original indices.
Staff now has five years of historical data that have been submitted in standard formats.
Staff reviewed and analyzed all indices and believes that the vast majority continue to represent an appropriate measurement of reliability. Staff recommended changes where the indices were clearly inappropriate. The data suggest that 14 of the 184 indices be modified in order to become a more accurate measuring tool. Specifically, staff looked at the possible revisions in terms of indices that, over the latest five-year period, were either too easily achieved or rarely attained. If a standard is set at a level that is unreachable or, conversely, always attainable, the standard loses its value as a measurement index.