HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 7/18/2023 - Memorandum From John Phelan Re: Peak Partners Water Heater Load Control Program – Partial Termination Of Customer Devices
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222 Laporte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
970.212.2900
V/TDD: 711
utilities@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/utilities
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: July 7, 2023
TO: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers
FROM: John Phelan, Energy Services Manager
THROUGH: Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Kendall Minor, Utilities Executive Director
Nick Combs, Acting Deputy Director, Utilities Customer Connections
RE: Peak Partners Water Heater Load Control Program – Partial Termination
of Customer Devices
Bottom Line:
Fort Collins Utilities will abandon in place specific customer’s water heater load control devices
from participation in the Peak Partners program effective July 31, 2023, based on the following:
Customer’s existing load control devices are no longer supported and need to be replaced,
and
Customers have failed to respond to multiple attempts by Fort Collins Utilities to contact
them to schedule replacement of the load control devices.
Extensive customer outreach has been managed over the past four months (one letter, three
phone calls with voicemail, and a door hanger) to schedule device replacement which takes
about 15 minutes. Customers who have not yet responded will receive a postcard in mid-July as
a final notice before the legacy load control devices are abandoned in place at the customer’s
location. Abandoning the load control device in place will have no effect on the customer’s hot
water system.
Background:
In 2013, as part of the Advanced Meter Fort Collins program, the Peak Partners program was
developed to support grid flexibility and save money for individual customers and the
community.
The Peak Partners Water Heater Demand Response Program shifts the customer’s water heater
load to off peak times for energy and cost savings and to reduce system demand during
coincident peak events. The devices communicated over an AT&T cellular 3G network until last
fall when AT&T turned off their 3G network.
DocuSign Envelope ID: DE8F6275-2A6E-4207-B9FB-CDC31B9E5B1E
The current Peak Partners DCU-3 (demand control unit version 3) Device Refresh Project was
begun last fall to replace 2,380 AT&T 3G devices with updated hardware including Verizon 4G
communications. Due to supply chain issues the project was carried over into 2023. To date,
2,172 devices in the field have been updated. The remaining 208 devices have not been replaced
because customers failed to respond to ongoing efforts to schedule replacement.
As the DCU-3 Device Refresh Project nears completion, the unresponsive customers will be
terminated from the program. A postcard will be sent explaining that the device will be
abandoned in place on July 31, 2023, and Fort Collins Utilities shall have no further obligation
regarding malfunction or liability resulting from the device. This approach was planned in
consultation with the City Attorney’s Office because it defines a specific end to the project and
removes the City’s future liability for stranded assets. The postcard also offers customers the
opportunity to continue participation in the Peak Partners Water Heater Demand Response
Program by calling to schedule a time to replace their device as part of the ongoing program
operations.
Questions can be directed to Mary Horsey at mhorsey@fcgov.com.
CC: Sarah Kane, Executive Assistant, City Council
Gretchen Stanford, Deputy Director, Utilities Customer Connections
Pablo Bauleo, Senior Energy Services Engineer
DocuSign Envelope ID: DE8F6275-2A6E-4207-B9FB-CDC31B9E5B1E