WRF Overview

For weather response function

The amount of energy consumed has four key inputs: temperature, wind, humidity and a constant. The constant represents a typical amount of energy that will be consumed independent of the other characteristics (e.g., you turn your computer on every day – regardless of how windy it is).

Accordingly, forecasts are based on those components. The constant is of course fixed. Temperature typically has the largest impact. Wind and humidity may not even be used.

Forecast Load = B + (Forecast Temp)•X1 + (Forecast Humidity)•X2 + (Forecast Wind)•X3

Suppliers are responsible for acquiring forecasted temperature, wind and humidity. Duke Energy provides the coefficients (B, X1-3) that will be used for the forecast calculation. The coefficients are provided via the Weather Response Function (WRF) spreadsheet.

Instructions:

1. Select the column group that corresponds to the forecasted temperature at the given hour. e.g., 14º
2. Identify the appropriate row for your customer segment & time.
e.g., DM1, January weekday, 3-4 a.m.
3. Plug the given coefficients into the equation: Forecast Load = B + (Forecast Temp)•X1 + (Forecast Humidity)•X2 + (Forecast Wind)•X3
e.g., Forecast = 96.24 - (Tem)(0.24) + (Hum)(0) + (Wind)(0.25)
4. Plug in your forecasted values for the given hour.
e.g., 98.6 KWh = 96.24 - (14)(0.24) + (15)(0) + (23)(0.25)

For static and flat-rate profiles

Street light profile:

This profile is located in the Downloadable Files section. Street light load is generally dependent upon the hours of darkness. The hours of darkness increase as winter approaches, and decrease as summer approaches. The available profile accounts for these changes by season (month).

General service (GS-FL) and traffic light (TL) profiles:

There is no "profile" available for direct download from this website. Flat load accounts are exactly that – flat load values every hour of every day. The hourly values for a flat load account are determined simply by dividing the monthly consumption by the number of hours (24 x # of days) in a given period.

Detailed instructions are available.