PrintGlossary of Energy Terms - C
CAAA90
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.
California Independent Systems Operator (Cal ISO)
A non-profit, independent system operator created in March 1998 to manage the flow of electricity along the long-distance, high-voltage power lines that make up the bulk of California’s transmission system. The Cal ISO also operates a bid-based real-time energy market as well as several other markets to acquire grid support services (i.e., ancillary services).
California Power Exchange (Cal PX)
A power exchange in California created to operate a bid-based, centralized market for forward (day-ahead and day-of) power sales. The Cal-PX suspended trading on January 30, 2001. On March 9, 2001, the Cal-PX filed for bankruptcy protection.
Call Option
The right, but not the obligation to buy the underlying assets at an agreed upon price (strike or exercise price) during the option term. It gives the holder or buyer of the option the right to buy the underlying instrument at an agreed strike price in the future when prices may be higher than the strike price. Selling a call option obligates the seller to sell the underlying instrument at an agreed strike price in the future when prices may be higher than the strike price. A call is the opposite of a put.
Callable Swap
A swap in which the fixed-rate receiver has the right to terminate the swap after a certain time if rates rise. Also known as a cancelable swap.
Calorific Value
See HEAT CONTENT.
Calorimeter
An apparatus for measuring the amount of heat released by the combustion of a compound or mixture.
Cap
A call option on forward interest rates. A cap gets more expensive as the yield curve steepens and as the volatility of the underlying interest rate increases.
Capability
The ability of a transmission interface between two control areas to carry real power flows, typically measured in megawatts. The maximum load that a generating unit, generating station or other electrical apparatus can carry under specified conditions for a given period of time without exceeding approved limits of temperature and stress.
Capacitor
A transmission element designed to inject reactive power into the transmission network. Also utilized to increase voltages, reduce loadings and increase available kW output from generators. Capacitor ratings typically given in Megavars.
Capacity (Electric)
The real power output rating of a generator or system, typically in megawatts, measured on an instantaneous basis. The amount of electric power delivered or required for which a generator, turbine, transformer, transmission circuit, station or system is rated by the manufacturer. The maximum power that can be produced by a generating resource at specified times under specified conditions.
Capacity (Gas)
The maximum amount of natural gas that can be produced, transported, stored, distributed or utilized in a given period of time under design conditions.
Capacity Peaking
The capacity of facilities or equipment normally used to supply incremental gas or electricity under extreme demand conditions. Peaking capacity is generally available for a limited number of days at a maximum rate.
Capacity Pipeline
The maximum throughput of natural gas over a specified period of time for which a pipeline system or portion thereof is designed or constructed, not limited by existing service conditions.
Capacity Purchased
The amount of capacity available for purchase from other power systems. Usually measured in megawatts (MW).
Capacity Brokering
The assignment of rights to receive firm gas transportation service.
Capacity Charge
One element of a two-part pricing method used in power transactions (energy charge is the other element). The Capacity Charge, sometimes called Demand Charge, is assessed on the amount of capacity being purchased or demanded. The Capacity Charge is typically expressed in $/kWmonth (kilowatt-month).
Capacity Emergency
A condition that exists when a system’s or pool’s load exceeds its operating capacity and cycling reserve margin, plus firm purchases from other systems and available import from adjacent systems.
Capacity Factor
Ratio of average generation to the capacity rating of an electric generating unit for a specific period (expressed in percentage).
Capacity Margin
The amount of capacity above planned peak system demand available to provide for scheduled maintenance, emergency outages, system operating requirements and unforeseen electricity demand.
Capacity Release
The assignment, allocation or release of firm gas transportation rights to another party authorized under Order No. 636, done on a permanent or temporary basis, and awarded to the highest bidder.
Capital Efficiency
Measures of the return on capital expended or invested. Commonly measured by ROCE (Return on Capital Employed) or ROIC (Return on Invested Capital).
Capital Velocity
The rate at which capital is recycled to leverage the assets and skills of the enterprise more quickly without the need for a larger capital base.
Captive (Core) Customer
Buyer that can purchase natural gas from only one supplier, with no access to alternate fuel sources. Usually describes a residential or small commercial user, but may apply to a large industrial and electric utility user as well.
Captive Mine
A coal mine that is typically contiguous to a power plant, which is owned or controlled by the operator of the power plant, and which supplies most of its coal to the power plant.
Carbon Black
Almost pure amorphous carbon consisting of extremely fine particles, usually produced from gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons by controlled combustion with a restricted air supply or by thermal decomposition.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
A gaseous substance at standard conditions composed of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, produced when fossil fuels are burned, and is thought to be a major contributor to the “greenhouse effect.” Combustion of natural gas emits only about 50% as much carbon dioxide as combustion of coal.
Carriage
The transportation of a third party’s natural gas by a pipeline as a separate service for a fee, as contrasted with the pipeline’s transportation of its own system supply natural gas.
Carrying Charge
The costs of storing a physical commodity, including storage costs, insurance, interest and/or opportunity costs.
Cascading Outage
Successive system loss (uncontrolled), resulting from an on- site incident. Results in a widespread system collapse.
Cash-Out
Procedure in which shippers are allowed to resolve imbalances by cash payments, in contrast to making up imbalances with gas volumes in-kind.
Casinghead Gas
See GAS.
Cathodic Pressure
A technique to prevent the corrosion of a metal surface by making that surface the cathode of an electrochemical cell.
Ceiling Price
The maximum lawful price that could be charged for the first sale of a specified NGPA category of natural gas, pre-1993.
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
Authorization to sell for resale or to transport natural gas in interstate commerce; or to construct or acquire and operate, any facilities necessary therefor, subject to FERC jurisdiction under Section 7 of the NGA. May also refer to a similar permit issued by a state commission to a gas utility.
Check Meter
See METER, GAS.
Circuit
A conductor or a system of conductors through which electric current flows.
City Gate (City Station Town Border Station)
Location at which natural gas ownership passes from one party to another, neither of which is the ultimate consumer; the point at which interstate and intrastate pipelines sell and deliver natural gas to local distribution companies.
City Gate Rate (Gate Rate)
The rate charged a distribution utility by its suppliers. It refers to the cost of the natural gas at the point at which the distribution utility historically took title to the natural gas.
Class of Service
A group of customers with similar characteristics (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) that are identified for the purpose of setting a rate for service.
Clean Coal Technologies
Processes designed to burn coal with little or low emissions, including coal with either high sulfur content or high ash content that might make it unattractive as a fuel.
Coal
A black or brownish-black solid combustible substance formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable matter without access to air.
Coal Ash
Impurities consisting of silica, iron, alumina, and other noncombustible matter that are contained in coal. Ash increases the weight of coal, adds to the cost of handling and can affect its burning characteristics. Ash content is measured as a percent by weight of coal on an “as received” or a “dry” (moisture- free, usually part of a laboratory analysis) basis.
Coal Bed Gas
See GAS.
Coal Classifications
Shorthand references to various types of coal, generally making reference to the age of the coal, its relative moisture content, heating value and hardness.
Lignite - Low-rank, brown coals which are distinctly brown and woody or claylike in appearance, and which contain relatively high moisture contents of between 30 and 70 percent of the fuel by weight. Sulfur may range from low to high and heating value may range from 3,500 to 7,000 Btu/lb.
- Subbituminous - Young black coal with high moisture content of between 15 and 40 percent by weight. In the U.S. the most often cited example is the Power River Basin coal found in Wyoming and Montana. Heating value varies from 7,000 Btu/lb to slightly over 9,000 Btu/lb. This type of coal is considered by many to have the largest reserves by weight around the world. Countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia have much more subbituminous coal that bituminous coal. Sulfur value is typically quite low, and ash is also usually low. Volatile matter is usually high, and can exceed 40% of the weight of the cal “as received.”
- Bituminous - Older geologic age than subbituminous coal, with higher heating value, and higher in volatile matter and ash than subbituminous coal. Used for both steam and electricity production, as well as for production of steel. Metallurgical coal is typically bituminous coal, with a free swelling index of over 4.5 and with “dial divisions per minute” (a measure of “fluidity”) of over 1,500 and sometimes over 20,000. Heating value of bituminous coal typically ranges from 10,000 to 13,000 Btu/lb.
- Anthracite - A form of coal often referred to as “hard coal,” which is generally used in the production of steel, characterized by low volatile matter, low sulfur, low ash, low Hargrove index (indicating a hard coal) and high heating value. Sometimes blended with bituminous coal in sized coal cargoes to increase heating value. Heating value is often at or above 13,500 Btu/lb.
Coal Gasification
A controlled process of reacting coal, steam and oxygen under pressure and elevated temperature to produce coal gas. The gas created has a low heating value, but catalytic upgrading can be employed to produce high Btu pipeline-grade gas.
Coal Resources
The sum of all coal deposits, identified and undiscovered.
Coal Seam
A lens or layer of coal, which is a naturally occurring, rock like, black to brown derivative of forest type vegetation, which has been compressed over time and typically subjected to heat, and which contains sufficiently low incombustible materials so that it provides a competent fuel.
Coal Tar Product
A black, sticky liquid, thicker than water, produced during the process of carbonizing coal in coke ovens.
Cogeneration
- Any of several processes which either use waste heat produced by electricity generating to satisfy thermal needs or process waste heat to electricity or produce mechanical energy.
- The use of a single prime fuel source in a reciprocating engine or gas turbine to generate both electrical and thermal energy to optimize fuel efficiency. The dominant demand for energy may be either electrical or thermal. Usually it is thermal with excess electrical energy, if any, being transmitted into the local power supply companies’ lines.
Cogenerator
An entity owning a generation facility that produces electricity and another form of useful thermal energy (such as heat or steam), used for industrial, commercial, heating or cooling purposes.
Coincidence Factor
The ratio of the maximum demand of a group, class or system as a whole to the sum of the individual maximum demands of the several components of the group, class or system. Reciprocal of the Diversity Factor.
Coincident Demand
The sum of two or more demands that occur in the same time interval.
Coincidental Peak Load
The sum of two or more peak loads that occur in the same time interval.
Coke
A hard, dry carbon substance produced by heating coal to a very high temperature without air. Coke is used in the process of making iron and steel. See also PETROLEUM COKE.
Collar
A hedging strategy. Simultaneously buying a cap and selling a floor. Collars effectively lock in a rate for borrowing costs: The cap sets a maximum possible borrowing rate for the life of a contract, while the floor establishes a minimum rate for borrowing costs. Also referred to as a Fence or Min-Max.
Combination Utility
A utility supplier of both natural gas and some other utility service (electricity, water, transit, etc.).
Combined Billing
See CONJUNCTIVE BILLING.
Combined Cycle
The combination of one or more gas turbine and steam turbines in an electric generation plant. An electric generating technology in which electricity is produced from otherwise lost waste heat exiting from one or more gas (combustion) turbines. The exiting heat is routed to a conventional boiler or to a heat recovery steam generator for utilization by a steam turbine in the production of electricity. This process increases the efficiency of the electric generating unit.
Combined Cycle Unit
An electric generating unit that consists of one or more combustion turbines and one or more boilers with a portion of the required energy input to the boiler(s) provided by the exhaust gas of the combustion turbine(s).
Combustion Turbine (CT)
A fuel-fired turbine engine used to drive an electric generator. Combustion turbines, because of their generally rapid firing time, are used to meet short-term peak demands placed on power systems.
Commercial
A sector of customers or service defined as non-manufacturing business establishments, including hotels, motels, restaurants, wholesale businesses, retail stores and health, social and educational institutions. A utility may classify the commercial sector as all consumers whose demand or annual use exceeds some specified limit. The limit may be set by the utility based on the rate schedule of the utility.
Commercial Operation
An operating condition that begins when control of the loading of a generator is turned over to the system dispatcher.
Commercial Operation Date (COD)
The date at which a utility facility is declared in service and after which the accumulation of AFUDC ceases.
Commission
- In the context of futures trading, the fee charged by a futures broker for executing an order.
- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
- State Public Utility’s Commission(s).
Committed Gas
See SOURCE-SPECIFIC GAS SALES CONTRACT.
Commitment or Open Interest
The number of contracts at a given point in time for which there is no offsetting sale or purchaser or actual contract delivery.
Commodity Charge (or Rate)
A charge per unit of service actually delivered to the buyer. Compare DEMAND CHARGE.
Commodity Costs
Those costs that are allocated on the basis of actual use of service.
Commodity Price Adjustment Clause
A provision in a rate schedule for an adjustment of a customer’s bill if the price of commodities or index of commodity prices varies from a specified standard.
Common Carrier
A facility obligated by law to provide service to all potential users without discrimination, with services to be prorated among users in the event capacity is not sufficient to meet all requests. Interstate oil pipelines are common carriers, but interstate natural gas pipelines are not.
Commonly or Jointly Owned Units
These terms may be used interchangeably to refer to a unit in which two or more entities share ownership.
Comparability of Service
Equal access to all natural gas pipeline transportation services, including storage and gathering, regardless of whether the customer purchases gas from the pipeline or from a third party. FERC Order No. 636 redefined comparability to require equality of service.
Compound derivative
Two examples of compound derivatives are:
- Double-up Swap is the swap for X quantity at a price with the option to double the quantity. Also could be a swap for quantity X and selling a call option on another quantity of X units.
- Knock-out Options is when you sell the options, which become worthless, if the value ever crosses a barrier. Automatic buyback of options after the value erodes to a low point.
Compressed Natural Gas
See GAS.
Compression
The action on a material which decreases its volume as the pressure to which it is subjected increases. Natural gas is usually compressed for transport.
Compression Ratio
The relationship of absolute outlet pressure at a compressor to absolute inlet pressure.
Compressor
A mechanical device for increasing the pressure of a gas.
Compressor Fuel
Natural gas burned as fuel to operate a compressor.
Compressor Station
Facility that provides energy to move natural gas within a pipeline by increasing the pressure of the gas at the discharge side of the facility compared to the intake side.
Condensate
The liquid resulting when a vapor is subjected to cooling and/or pressure reduction.
Condensate Natural Gas
Hydrocarbons, existing as vapor in natural gas reservoirs, that condense to liquids as their temperature and pressure decrease when natural gas is produced. Natural gas condensates consist mostly of pentanes (C5H12) and some heavier hydrocarbons. Once condensed, natural gas liquids are usually blended with crude oil for refining. Compare LIQUIDS, NATURAL GAS.
Conductivity
A measure of a material’s ability to conduct/transmit an electric charge.
Conductor
A substance or body, usually in the form of a wire, cable or busbar, that allows a current of electricity to pass continuously along it.
Confirmed Nominations
Pipeline verification that a change in a customer’s level of transportation service will be matched by a change in supplier quantities.
Congestion Charges/Payments
Charges incurred or payments received by market participants who change their preferred schedules to alleviate congestion and network constraints.
Congestion Costs
Costs that arise from the redispatch of a system due to transmission constraints.
Conjunctive Billing
The process of billing for several natural gas demands, services or meters as if the billing were for a single demand, service or meter. Conjunctive billing is sometimes referred to as Combined Billing.
Connection
The physical junction (e.g., transmission lines, transformers, switch gear, etc.) between two electric systems permitting the transfer of electric energy.
Conservation
Demand-Side Management (DSM) strategy for reducing generation capacity requirements by implementing programs to encourage customers to reduce their load during many hours of the year. Examples include utility rebate and shared savings activities for the installation of energy efficient appliances, lighting and electrical machinery, and weatherization materials. A resource produced by increasing the efficiency of energy use, production or distribution.
Constraint
A generator’s high or low output limit, line rating or other limiting condition on the electrical system.
Construction Expenditures
Cost of construction for additions to, renewals of and replacements of plant facilities, including overhead and allowance for funds used during construction. Excludes the purchase cost of an acquired operating unit or system of utility plant, accounting transfers and adjustments to utility plant and cost to remove plant facilities from service. Construction expenditures are capitalized in a utility’s rate base.
Construction Work In Progress (CWIP)
The account that includes the total of the balances of work orders for work in process of construction. This line item may or may not be included in the utility’s rate base.
Consumer
The ultimate user of natural gas, as contrasted to a “customer” who may purchase natural gas for resale.
Consumption (Fuel)
The amount of fuel used for gross generation, providing standby service, start-up and/or flame stabilization.
Contained Helium
See HELIUM.
Contango Market
A term used in futures trading meaning that prices are progressively higher in succeeding delivery months than in the nearest delivery month.
Contingency
A possible event for which preparations are made. Typically the loss of generating capacity or a transmission element.
Contingency Reserve
An additional amount of operating reserve sufficient to reduce area control error to zero in 10 minutes following loss of generating capacity, which would result from the most severe single contingency.
Continuous Miner
A cutting head mining machine typically using bits mounted onto a rotating drum to cut coal from a coal seam and direct it toward a coal car (wheeled or track conveyance) or conveyor belt to move the coal from the face without interrupting the work of the miner operating the machine except for the occasional insertion of roof bolts above the miner for roof control.
Contract Adjustment
Under Order No. 636, the ability of customers to reduce, in whole or in part, their firm purchase and/or transportation obligations under contracts with their pipeline suppliers. Firm transportation, in contrast to firm sales, cannot be reduced unless the pipeline agrees or an alternative purchaser is found at the maximum price.
Contract Carrier
A facility that voluntarily provides its services to others on a private contractual basis.
Contract Conversion
Under FERC Orders No. 500 and 636, the option of pipeline firm sales customers to convert their sales service entitlement to firm transportation service entitlement.
Contract Demand
The amount of service a seller agrees to provide on a periodic (daily, monthly, annually) basis. Contract demand is a maximum amount.
Contract for Differences
A contract between a power supplier and buyer that is referenced to the price prevailing at the pool level.
Contract Intermediary Control Area
A NERC control area that has connecting facilities in the scheduling path between the sending and receiving control areas and operating agreements which establish the conditions for the use of such facilities.
Contract Path
A Point of Receipt to Point of Delivery route for which capacity rights and contract prices have been established.
Contract Term
The term of effectiveness of a contract.
Contracted Reserves
Natural gas reserves dedicated to fulfill natural gas purchase agreements.
Control Area
A portion of a power grid which regulates its generation in order to maintain its interchange schedule with other Control Areas or systems and contributes its frequency bias obligation to the Interconnection. All connecting points with other utilities either inside or outside the Control Area must be metered and monitored in real time. A control area must be able to:
- control its generation to balance continuously its actual interchange and scheduled interchange, and 
- help the entire Interconnection regulate and stabilize the Interconnection’s alternating frequency.
Control Area Services
Any services provided by an electric utility Control Area operator, or by another qualified provider located within the applicable Control Area, which are required to establish and maintain interchange schedules according to regional reliability council and NERC reliability guidelines.
Conventional Mining
The process of cutting blocks of coal from the seam by use of coal saws or by using explosives to blast portions of the seam, and thereafter removing the coal from the face of the seam by shovel or small front-end loader.
Conversion to Natural Gas
Changing consumer’s energy service to natural gas from some other fuel. The term includes adjustment of consumers’ appliances to perform satisfactorily with natural gas.
Conversion Unit
A unit consisting of a burner and associated thermostat and safety controls which can be used to convert heating equipment from one fuel to another.
Cooling Tower
A structure used to vent steam produced in the generation of power.
Cooperative (Co-Op)
A non-profit utility owned by its members. Generally, co-ops are self-regulated by an elected board of directors.
Cooperative Electric Utility
An electric utility legally established to be owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its service. It will generate, transmit and/or distribute supplies of electric energy to a specified area not being served by another utility. Such ventures are generally exempt from Federal income tax laws. Many have been initially financed by the Rural Electrification Administration, US Department of Agriculture.
Coordinated Operation
The operation of two or more interconnected electrical systems or a group of hydroelectric plants to achieve greater reliability and economy.
Core Customer
See CAPTIVE CUSTOMER.
Core Market
Volumes that are typically supplied by the local distribution company to residential and commercial customers, public institutions such as hospitals and schools and non-industrial companies with relatively small consumption and generally no alternative fuel capability.
Correlative Rights
The ownership rights of oil/gas producers within a common reservoir.
Cost Allocation
A procedure in which common or joint costs are apportioned among customers or classes of customers.
Cost-Based Rate
A rate based upon a projected cost of service and throughput level, contrasted with a market-based rate determined directly by supply and demand.
Cost Classification
In the context of FERC gas rate methodology, the classification of costs between demand and commodity components for purposes of pipeline rate design. Traditional cost classification methodologies include the following:
| Fixed Costs | Variable Costs | |||
| Demand | Commod. | Demand | Commod. | |
| Seaboard | 50% | 50% | 0% | 100% |
| United | 25% | 75% | 0% | 100% |
| MFV1 | 60%2 | 40%3 | 0% | 100% |
| SFV4 | 100% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
| 1Modified Fixed-Variable. | ||||
Cost of Capital
The weighted average of the cost of various sources of capital, generally consisting of outstanding securities such as mortgage debt, preferred and preference stock, common stock, etc. and retained earnings.
Cost of Service
The total amount of money, including return on invested capital, operation and maintenance costs, administrative costs, taxes and depreciation expense, to produce a utility service. Traditional utility cost of service may be expressed as Operating Costs + Taxes + (Rate of Return x [Cost of Plant - Depreciation]).
Cost of Service Study
A study designed to determine the cost of providing service to various classes of customers; used as a basis for establishing various electric and gas service rates. Factors that must be considered in rate design are the value of the service, the cost of competitive services, the volume and load factor of the system load equalization and stabilization of revenue, promotional factors and their relation to the social and economic growth of the service area, political factors such as the sizes of minimum bills and regulatory factors.
Cost of Service Tariff
A tariff specifying that the entity providing the service will be reimbursed for its cost of service, including a specified rate of return on the rate base (distinguished from the usual tariff, providing for charges sufficient to cover the entity’s costs of service and return on equity only if the entity meets its projected throughput).
Costs, Administrative & General (A&G) Overhead
A subset of operation and maintenance expenses that are part of a utility company’s cost of service (e.g., salaries, office supplies and expenses, outside services, injuries and damages).
Costs Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
A broad class of expenses that are part of a utility company’s cost of service (e.g., production, storage, terminaling, processing, transmission, distribution, customer accounts, customer service, sales, administration and general).
Costs Variable
Costs that vary according to the amount purchased (e.g., gas acquisition costs).
Counterparty
A participant in a swap transaction.
Cover
In futures trading, to close out a short futures position.
Covered Position in the Put
The owner of the option also owns the stock or commodity and purchased a put on it.
Credit Worthiness Review
Process by which a pipeline evaluates a potential shipper’s financial accountability.
Critical Period
The portion of an historical streamflow record that would produce the least amount of energy. The critical period is used to determine the maximum firm load-carrying capability of the present system under “worst-case” conditions.
Critical Rule Curve
A graphic representation of the storage level of a surface water reservoir at various times of the year under critical streamflow conditions. The curve serves as a guide to the use of stored water by indicating the level at which storage would become insufficient to meet firm energy loads.
Critical Water
A sequence of streamflows under which the regional hydroelectric system could produce an amount of power equal to that which could have been produced during the Critical Period given today’s generating facilities and constraints.
Cross-Subsidization
The practice of charging rates higher than the actual cost of service to one class of customers in order to charge lower rates to another class of customers.
Crude Helium
See HELIUM, CRUDE.
CT
See COMBUSTION TURBINE.
Cubic Feet per Second (CFS)
A measurement of water flow representing one cubic foot of water moving past a given point in one second.
Cubic Foot
The most common unit of measurement of gas volume; the amount of gas required to fill a volume of one cubic foot under stated conditions of temperature, pressure and water vapor.
Current (Electric)
A flow of electrons in an electrical conductor. The rate of movement of the electricity, measured in amperes.
Current Diversion (or Energy Diversion)
Theft of electric power in which current is diverted to bypass the meter. More generally, any type of tampering to obtain unmetered service.
Curtailability
The right of a transmission provider to interrupt transmission when system reliability is threatened or emergency conditions exist.
Curtailable Rate
An option offered by utilities to customers who can accept specified amounts of service reduction in return for reduced energy rates.
Curtailment Mandatory or Voluntary
Reduction in scheduled capacity or energy delivery as a result of transmission constraints.
Customer
An individual, firm or organization that purchases service at one location under one rate classification, contract or schedule. If service is supplied at more than one location or under more than one rate schedule, each location and rate schedule may be counted as a separate customer. See CLASS OF SERVICE.
Customer Charge
A fixed amount to be paid periodically by the customer without regard to demand or energy consumption. See also DEMAND CHARGE.
Customer Costs
The costs directly related to serving a customer, regardless of sales volume, such as meter reading, billing and fixed charges for the minimum investment required to serve a customer.
Customer Density
Number of customers in a given unit of area or on a given length of distribution line.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A comprehensive approach that provides seamless integration of key areas of business that touch the customer—for example, marketing, sales, customer service and field support—through the integration of people, process and technology, by taking advantage of the Internet.
Customer Touchpoints
Core processes across an organization, from sales and marketing to service and support, in the field, on the phone and over the Web, that enable a company to connect with customers.
Cycle Billing
A billing procedure that provides for the billing of a portion of customers each working day so that all customers are billed within a predetermined period, such as one month, two months, etc. See also BILLING CYCLE.
Cycling
A storage process in which the same quantity of gas is injected into and withdrawn from storage within a prescribed time period.