Power to the People

ComED on Wednesday received unanimous approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) for its recommended one-year Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) pilot. "One of the most comprehensive tests of smart meter technology in the nation, this pilot will assess how technology can improve service, help customers make more informed decisions about energy use and contribute to lower energy costs and reduced carbon emissions."

Later this year the region could receive as many as 310,000 smart meters to towns surrounding Chicago. So what does all of this mean?
 

"A smart meter is a digital electric meter that collects usage information every 30 minutes and sends that information to ComEd through a secure network. When the pilot is fully implemented in early summer 2010, this new technology will:

-- Provide customers with daily usage information, accessible through the Internet, to help monitor their energy use and manage energy costs.
-- Enable ComEd to access important account information on demand, so customer service representatives can provide more complete information,  more quickly.

-- Allow ComEd to begin assessing the potential operational, environmental  and other benefits of smart meters for all ComEd customers."

 

 

While still very early in the slow conversion to a smart grid,  the system makes great leaps in the right direction for a smarter, cleaner, and more efficient grid. Consumer-scaled projects aimed at providing feedback to the consumer - think drivetrain readouts in a Prius - helps consumers understand how much energy they are using at any moment, and knowledge leads to conservation. For ComEd, having that feedback is a critical part of operation that is currently lacking. Under the status quo, most power companies will not even know there is a power outage until concerned customers begin complaining. All the while their power stations are burning fuel and profits providing power that no one can use. By receiving feedback about usage patterns, energy companies can increase or reduce power production to more closely match the demands. All of this provides more consistent power more efficiently for less cost and less environmental impact. 

 

Here's hoping the pilot is a success.