Modeling weather effects on electric energy sales

An interface designed for load research for quantifying the effect weather has on monthly energy sales is described. The use of this interface has allowed analysis of weather effects on sales on a billing-cycle basis instead of a monthly basis, thus eliminating the problem of overlapping cycles and weather effects within a month. The new model is based on linear multiple regression with cooling degree days, heating degree days, their criss products, and cycle dummy variables as the independent variables, and kilowatt-hour sales as the dependent variable. A study of a true cooling degree base and heating degree base is concurrently performed for each of the four operating companies in the Middle South Electric System (Arkansas Power & Light, Louisiana Power & Light, Mississippi Power & Light, and New Orleans Public Service Inc.)