ORIGINAL REPORTING: Grid Modernization Gap Widens

On grid modernization, gap widens between leading states, laggards; A new study says there's more utilities and states can do to utilize new technology and data

Herman K. Trabish, February 2, 2016 (Utility Dive)

The third annual Grid Modernization Index from the GridWise Alliance and energy research and analysis firm Clean Edge showed the number of smart meters with two-way communication capability passed the number of old-fashioned meters in 2013. But the mountain of data being generated by the new advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is adding to utilities’ burden without necessarily improving their service to customers, according to the report’s authors. And while utilities in states with more modern grids are struggling to deal with greater quantities of data, those in states that haven't made concerted efforts to update their grid infrastructure are falling further behind.

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The Index highlights six important state level advances: California’s distribution resource planning (DRP) proceeding, The New York Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding, Hawaii’s 100% renewables by 2045 mandate and transformative changes to net metering, utility proposals filed to meet Massachusetts’ grid modernization initiatives, Minnesota’s e21 Initiative, and the Arizona proceeding to advance the substantive debate about the costs and values of DERs. But the Index concluded grid modernization still faces the obstacle of utilities and regulators seeing it as a cost to ratepayers instead of considering its benefits… click here for more

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