When electricity distribution companies have foreign partners, a regular flow of reporting arises: actual investment, outage indicators, loss rates. These reports carry technical and financial language together. Keeping the definitions of the indicators fixed in translation makes comparison between periods possible.
Licence and region definition
Distribution activity is carried out in a specific region under a licence, and the boundaries are defined. Region names are proper names. The licence number is carried over.
Network asset inventory
Assets such as transformers, lines and poles are counted in the inventory, which is the basis of the investment plan. The names of asset types are translated consistently. Quantities are given with their units.
Voltage levels
The network is operated at different voltage levels, and each level is handled separately. Level values are carried over with their units. The classification is preserved.
Investment plans
Investments are tied to periodic plans and are subject to approval. The plan items are presented in table form. Item names are kept fixed.
Actual progress reports
Planned and actual investments are reported side by side for comparison. The two columns are not mixed up. The period is stated in every table.
Outage records
Every outage is recorded with its duration, its cause and the number of customers affected. The classification of causes is a fixed list. The list is translated consistently.
Continuity indicators
Outage data are converted into indicators, and performance is measured by these indicators. Indicator names appear as abbreviations. The abbreviations are carried over.
Loss and theft rates
The difference between the energy fed into the network and the energy invoiced is shown as a rate. The method for calculating the rate is defined. The method is not skipped.
Meter reading and billing
Customer consumption is determined by meter readings and invoiced. Reading periods and values have meaning together. Numerical fields are verified.
Customer connection procedures
New connections proceed through an application and design approval, and the time limits are defined. Time limit wording is preserved. Application numbers are tracked.
Technical specifications and type approvals
The materials to be used in the network are subject to type approval and must comply with the specification. Approval documents are carried over with their numbers. The statement of scope is preserved.
Fault response records
Fault response times are recorded and feed into the performance assessment. Time stamps are a critical field. Times are carried over exactly.
Maintenance programmes
Planned maintenance is tied to a programme and announced through outage notices. The programme tables are preserved with their structure. Dates are tracked.
Occupational safety records
Work on live lines is subject to special procedures, and records of it are kept. Procedure names are technical terms. Warnings are carried over in full.
Correspondence with the regulator
The activity is under the supervision of the regulatory authority, and correspondence is continuous. The name of the authority and the letter numbers are preserved. The chain is carried over as a whole.
Tariff components
The components on the bill are set by regulation, and their names are fixed. Component names are translated consistently. Amounts stay in their own fields.
The costliest mistake in this sector
A change in the definition of a performance indicator between periods creates an impression of improvement or deterioration. Even if the numbers are correct, the comparison loses its meaning. Indicator definitions are fixed in the terminology list.