The Smart Grid Research Consortium has created a smart grid test that scores utilities in six categories:
- AMI/DA Investment/Planning Scope
- Customer Engagement Investment/Planning Scope
- Other Financial Items
- Utility Customer Detail
- Investment Analysis Quantitative Framework and
- Ease of Use/User Interface/Results Presentation
The questions are designed to provide utilities with guidance when making smart grid investments. I think the Smart Grid Investment Quotient Scorecard is a tool that regulators will also find helpful. The Scorecard is designed to reflect current, past or future investment analysis. The figure below shows a section of the scorecard that addresses customer engagement.
II. Customer Engagement* Investment/Planning Scope |
(Maximum Category Points: 20) |
Does your investment analysis/planning process: |
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a. Consider reductions in power costs (purchased and/or generated) associated with customer engagement technologies and programs? If yes, add 5 points. |
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b. Consider financial benefits of deferred capital investments associated with customer engagement technologies and programs? If yes, add 3 points. |
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c. Use information on your utility’s customer class/end-use (e.g., residential AC) hourly loads (rather than generic estimates) to model peak period hourly load impacts over the planning horizon? If yes, add 10 points. |
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d. Reflect changes in future hourly loads over the planning horizon as a result of changes in customer counts, equipment saturations and efficiencies and other factors? If yes, add 2 points. |
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*Includes PCTs, monitors, pricing, information programs, etc. |
Snapshot taken from Score Your Smart Grid IQ (Investment Quotient) pg. 2
If your plan does not include distribution automation, the highest grade you can receive is a B. I think that is appropriate given that many in the industry have been saying: The Smart Grid is more than Smart Meters! This Scorecard adequately demonstrates that point.