State Regulators & Reliability Reports

Current Requirements:
Regulated utilities must report yearly SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI, and MAIFI (if available) index calculations annually and quarterly, on a system-wide basis. Calculations diverge from the IEEE Standard 1366 by using (a) an alternative means to T_MED for determining Major Events, and by (b) not being reported with Major Events both included and excluded. (As a result, some utilities report “IEEE SAIFI” alongside “PUC SAIFI” figures.) Each annual report must also summarize all interruption data by cause (not within an index), with cause classification at the discretion of the utility. Large utilities (100,000+ customers) must also identify their top 5% worst-performing circuits. Quarterly reports provide the same yearly index calculations, on a “rolling 12-month” basis; large utilities must report the same for worst-performing circuits and interruption causes.

Additionally, utilities must meet performance “standards” and “benchmarks” for SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI, and MAIFI, which are based on historical performance and set by the PAPUC for each utility. Compliance is measured against rolling 3-year and 12-month averages. Failure to meet index standards may result in PAPUC investigations, additional reporting requirements, fines/penalties, or other corrective actions.

Utility achievement of reliability index standards and benchmarks is also a component of Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plans, which, after PAPUC approval, may allow a utility to recover select costs from distribution system improvements and/or repairs (66 Pa. C.S. § 1352–1353).

Required Indices:
SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI

Alternative Indices:
MAIFI data must be reported, if available

Effective Year of Current Requirements: 2004