About Programs

Programs represent specific demand response programs in which customers agree to let their utility service provider temporarily take control of specific devices in their homes (referred to as controllable devices or controllable assets) in response to periods of high demand. For instance, customers might enroll in a program that allows their utility to temporarily adjust their thermostat during a heat wave, or disable an electric vehicle charger during a period a of peak energy usage in the area. Instances such as these are known as "program events".

Programs are defined by the following:

  • Program Type: The program type associated with the program. Program types define certain parameters and attributes of a class of programs.

  • Status: The current status of the program. Only programs in the "Active" state are eligible for customer enrollment and events.

  • Program External ID: The ID for the program used by external systems.

  • Eligibility: A program initiative associated with the program, used to determine eligibility for customers to enroll in the program.

  • Approval Profile: The process used for approval of the program (see Approvals and Approval Profiles below for more information).

  • Suspend: A flag that indicates if the program is currently suspended (the default is No).

  • Start Date: The date on which the program is active and available.

  • End Date: The date after which the program is no longer active.

  • Division: The operating company or operating division within a large conglomerate of utilities associated with the program.

  • Program Settlement Method: A flag that indicates when program settlements are calculated after participating in an event. Options include:

    • After Event Participation: Calculations are performed as each program settlement is created. This option is used with settlement calculations based on non-peak or consumption measurements (referred to as "kWh Avoided").

    • End of Season: Calculations are performed at the end of a specified time period (a year, a season, and so on). This option is used with settlement calculations based on peak or demand measurements ("kW Drop").

  • Program Quantities: One or more quantities associated with the program such as the default reduction capacity for demand response programs.

    • Start Date/Time: The start date and time for the time period during which the quantity applies

    • End Date/Time: The end date and time for the time period during which the quantity applies

    • Program Quantity Type: The type of quantity (based on the Program Quantity Types defined on the program type)

    • Program Quantity: The quantity, based on the UOM, TOU, and SQI defined for the program quantity type

In addition, programs can also have the following related objects and data:

  • Specifications:  One or more specifications for devices eligible for the program, used to determine eligibility for customers to enroll in the program (the customer must have devices based on the listed specifications to join the program).

    • Programs based on a program type whose Program Category is "DER Registration" must have a specification and attributes defined (see Maintaining Specifications for more information). When registering and enrolling a DER device, the device's specification attributes must match the specification's attributes in order for the DER device to be registered and enrolled.

  • Rates: One or more rates used to determine eligibility for customers to enroll in the program (the customer must be on one of the listed rates to join the program)

  • Rules: One or more program rules associated with the program. If a program has more than one program rule, the rule with the latest effective date/time is used. See Understanding Program Rules in the Administrative User Guide for more information about program rules.

    Note:
    : If a Device Score rule is added to program, or an existing Device Score Program Rule associated with a program is edited, a synchronization request and outbound message are created to update external DERMS systems such an Oracle Utilities Grid Edge DERMS.

  • Qualifications: One or more qualification questions used to determine eligibility for customers to enroll in the program. The Response Required flag can be used to indiciate that an answer must be provided for the question. See Understanding Customer Questions in the Administrative User Guide for more information about questions.

  • Informational: One or more informational questions used to capture additional information about customers when enrolling in the program. The Response Required flag can be used to indiciate that an answer must be provided for the question. See Understanding Customer Questions in the Administrative User Guide for more information about questions.

  • Events: A list of program events associated with the program. See About Program Events for more information about program events.

  • Program Settlement Calculation Groups: One or more program settlement calculation groups that contain settlement calculation rules used to calculate program settlements for devices associated with the program. If more than one group is defined on the program, the group with the latest effective date/time is used. If a Calculation Group Determination is defined on the program's type, that algorithm may override which calculation group is used.

System Data

Programs are based on the following system data:

Data Type

Description

Maintenance Object

Dynamic Option (D1-DOP) 

Business Object(s)

Program (X1-Program)

Program Characteristics (X1-ProgramCharacteristics) 

Calculate Control Score via Program Transaction Algorithm

The Calculate Control Score via Program Transaction (X1-CLCNTPRTR) algorithm, defined on the "Program (BO) - Control Score Calculation" System Event creates program transactions that are used to calculate control scores for controllable devices associated with a program. This algorithm also defines the following variables that can be used in Program Calculation Rules:

  • Control Score Variable Name: Defines the variable used to represent control scores. When Program Calculation Rules return a value for this variable (defined as the Result Variable on the rule), the score is saved to the controllable asset (along with the date and time at which the score was calculated). The default value for this variable is "SC".

  • Availability Mark: Defines the variable used to represent the availability of the device's participation in program events. If Program Calculation Rules return a value of 0 for this variable, the Asset Availability flag in the controllable asset is set to "No". If Program Calculation Rules return a non-zero value for this variable or the rule doesn't return a value for this variable, the Asset Availability flag in the controllable asset is set to "Yes".  The default value for this variable is "AV".

Approvals and Approval Profiles

Programs and program types can specify an Approval Profile used to define a process for approval of programs. Programs with an Approval Profile enter the "Approval in Progress" state after being created, and must be approved before moving into the "Active" state. An Enter algorithm on the "Approval in Progress" state creates an approval request based on the specified approval profile.

See About Approvals for more information about creating and maintaining approvals and approval profiles.

Program Incentives and Fees

Beyond incentives based on reductions in consumption (kWh Avoided) demand (kW Drop) via program settlements, programs can be configured to include other customer incentives, such as sign-up incentives for enrollments, referral rebates, and incentives for remaining enrolled during the peak season. Customers may also receive penalties or fees in some circumstance, for instance if they terminate their enrollments before the contracted period, or when the utility incurs charges related to device repairs, device upgrades, premium device fees. The incentive and fees are sent to the customer information system to be passed on to the customer.

Program incentives and fees are configured as Program Rules that define how and when calculations are performed, with corresponding Program Settlement Calculation Rules that define the specific calculations performed for each type of incentive or fee.