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:

 

a. Consider reductions in power costs (purchased and/or generated) associated with customer engagement technologies and programs? If yes, add 5 points.

b. Consider financial benefits of deferred capital investments associated with customer engagement technologies and programs? If yes, add 3 points.

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.

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.

*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.