Improved IT technology makes possible real-time evaluation of energy use on the scale of an electric distribution network using common utility bills or interval data as a data source. However, the available data are faulty and require validation and estimation. Because of the large number (typically millions) of meters to be monitored on a daily basis for years, visual inspection and other techniques that rely on human intervention are not suitable.

This paper discusses simple, automatable methods and algorithms to validate and estimate monthly utility bills, which continue to be the most ubiquitous form of energy use measurement. A new method to identify suspect or missing bills is presented, as well as a choice of methods for replacing the suspect or missing bill with the most likely estimate.

Units: I-P