Behind The Sound Bite: Smart Grid
Top officials from National Grid visited Worcester last week to hype a long-delayed pilot program that would bring the benefits of “smart grid” technology into the homes of 15,000 Worcester residents.
Many technologies have been revolutionized since electricity transmission lines first graced the city around 1890, from the cell phone to electric cars to flat screen televisions. But the electric meters on residents’ homes still look the same. Cheri Warren of National Grid said smart grid takes features from those evolved technologies consumers are already familiar with and applies them to electricity use.
What would the features of the Worcester smart grid pilot program be?
The goals of smart grid are to reduce energy consumption during peak usage times by giving customers the ability to track their consumption on smart meters in real time and offering cheaper electricity during off-peak hours.
Why Is National Grid pursuing the pilot program and what is its history?
The Green Communities Act of 2008 requires all utilities to submit plans for smart grid pilots. National Grid did so in 2008 and said it intended to implement the plan in 2009. But the company voluntarily withdrew the plan earlier this year. National Grid officials said they needed to incorporate new technologies that have surfaced since 2008.
What will it cost and who will pay for it?
The public won’t know about the cost until National Grid files its new proposal. One thing is fairly certain: it will be less than the $56 million proposed in the original plan.
The answer on who will pay for it is not yet clear. But under the previous proposal, National Grid planned to split the cost between customers involved in the pilot and all its customers through a charge on the distribution rate. But Attorney General Martha Coakley expressed concern about those potential rate increases.
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