Participated in a merger due diligence review for the proposed Exelon/PSEG merger.  Our focus was on the customer service area including the call center.  We examined organization and staffing changes that were expected to result from the merger as well as merger synergies and maintenance of and improvement opportunities for performance in the customer service area.  We reviewed numerous documents and testimony and provided direct, rebuttal and cross examination expert witness services as part of this assignment.

Conducted a detailed review of the costs associated with distribution line extensions in response to a regulatory review of complaints lodged by electrical contractors.  The focus of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of implementing a flat rate per foot for distribution line extensions in place of estimates. Our findings revealed that the company’s calculation methods were sound but that the dataset used to compute the flat rate was flawed due to data latency.   Our recommendations contained suggested methods to improve the data efficacy and to reformulate the calculations to stratify the costs over areas and line extension lengths.

Conducted a distribution system condition assessment for a New England electric utility.  This involved reviewing operational and management processes, staffing and performance metrics.  As part of this assignment we conducted a field inspection of a sampled portion of the distribution system to asses the physical condition and vegetation encroachment.  Our findings and resulting recommendations highlighted the need for the utility to enhance its inspection process and to increase its vegetation management program to achieve improved reliability results.

Independent assessment of PacifiCorp’s report of the holiday storm, which occurred in Utah during December 2003, Our assessment provided comment and analysis on PacifiCorp’s conclusions and recommendations, and suggested additional recommendations and comparative industry data in a number of topic areas.

Review and investigation of an East Coast state’s four electric utilities’ system reliability subsequent to power outages experienced during July 1999.  Our assessment focused on distribution and transmission O&M and staffing, engineering and construction practices, planning processes and design criteria, and forensic investigation of major equipment failures.

Assessment of the underground electric distribution system of a major urban East Coast electric utility subsequent to numerous explosions.  Effort included physical inspections of manholes and equipment, analysis of primary and secondary network modeling, assessment of applicable new technologies, and attendance at Commission hearings.

Performed an evaluation of the expected impact of implementing a new OMS system on reported system reliability indices for a major East Coast electric utility.  This included a detailed review of selected feeder performance (best and worst) to help define recommended baseline bias adjustment to permit future metrics to better reflect actual performance in accordance with proposed PBR mechanisms.

Evaluated the necessity and need to construct a major transmission line to reliably serve customers in the Virginia area.  This evaluation was performed in concert with Commission staff to review plans and justifications presented by both of the electric utilities that were involved.  This assignment included expert testimony before the Commission.

Investigated causal factors for extensive customer outages experienced during an ice storm in 1997 for a major Gulf Coast electric utility.  We evaluated documents and practices to determine if the company had provided for adequate system capital, operations and maintenance activities.  A statistical sampled approach was undertaken to define the feeders that would be physically inspected, and feeder improvement modeling was performed to define the impact of system improvements on reliability.

For the territorial Public Service Commission, we conducted a comprehensive management audit and organizational assessment leading to recommendations designed to significantly reduce operating and maintenance labor costs, reduce overtime labor costs, and reorganize the structure of the organization to be more streamlined and efficient.

Performed a T&D infrastructure assessment of a major Midwestern electric utility, including organization and staffing, personnel qualifications, capital budget process, capacity planning, maintenance and vegetation management, emergency restoration plans, and reliability improvement efforts.

Performed a reliability certification and causal investigation of apparent underperforming service quality (poor SAIFI, SAIDI and CAIDI) for a national utility in Africa.  Identified numerical and situational factors such as the rural nature of the system, long feeders and low customer density.  We identified maintenance and restoration processes that could be improved.

Performed reliability certifications as part of qualification requirements for winning an annual reliability award.  These reviews included a detailed examination of reliability index calculation methods, data efficacy and reporting compliance.  The reviews provided a graded score used in the winner selection process as well as recommendations to enhance the overall processes to more accurately reflect reliability performance as viewed from the end user perspective.

We conducted a comprehensive comparative benchmarking study as part of the data room due diligence effort leading up to the privatization of the Australian gas utility industry.  We developed and conducted surveys involving Australian, European and U.S. gas transmission and gas transmission/distribution combination companies.

We performed a detailed operational gap analysis of the Rockdale, Texas power plant that support the aluminum smelting operations.  This analysis included identification of industry best practices to support goal setting to achieve improved operations at the plant.