Observed changes in residential and commercial customerinterruption costs in the Pacific Northwest between 1989 and 1999

摘要

In 1989, the Electric Power Research Institute and BonnevillePower Administration conducted pioneering surveys of the interruptioncosts experienced by residential and commercial and industrial customersin the Pacific Northwest. In early 1999, Puget Sound Energy (PSE)surveyed its customers using statistical sampling techniques and outagecost measurement procedures nearly identical to those used in theBPA/EPRI study. This paper compares the results obtained from those twooutage cost surveys focusing on the differences in costs that wasobserved between them. The results of the comparison indicate thatcustomer interruption costs have increased dramatically for residentialcustomers. Comparison of interruption costs for commercial andindustrial customers does not support the conclusion that interruptioncosts for these customers increased over the period. The paper concludeswith a discussion of the implications of these findings for utilityplanning and regulation