OG&E will utilize smart grid technology to reduce operations costs and provide customers with information to help them manage energy use.
Corix Utilities will coordinate installation of GE smart meters for all residential and most businesses in Norman between February and May of 2010, and will install smart meters when the smart grid is expanded into the rest of OG&E’s service territory. The new smart meters will operate similar to existing meters and transmit electricity information through a wireless network to OG&E for billing and service purposes.
EnergyICT will provide scalable meter data management solution (MDMS) that meets OG&E’s business and technical requirements for the programme. The ElServer MDMS will manage among other information, all automatic metering infrastructure (AMI) data and billing rates, and provide validation, estimation, editing (VEE) and interfaces to third party systems.
Comverge will provide multiple services including full marketing support to recruit 2,000-3,000 Norman customers in the first four months of 2010 for a time-of-use pricing pilot programme. Participants will receive information in almost real-time regarding the price of electricity and the amount being used. Comverge will also schedule installation of home area network devices for the study and provide technical support to study participants.
Silver Spring will provide overall home area networking and demand response solution, including new web portal, CustomerIQ (formerly known as Greenbox). CustomerIQ will provide energy usage information for the Norman customer study. Silver Spring will also provide in-home devices and programmable communicating thermostats for the Norman study.
Global Energy Partners will be responsible for measurement and verification of results for the Norman customer study to ensure the statistical validity of the results. OG&E will make future product and marketing decisions based on the customer response data.
Ken Grant, managing director of smart grid programme at OG&E, said: “By partnering with some of the industry’s best in smart grid technology, we are building an integrated solution that will benefit our customers, our employees, and our shareowners.
“Now we’ve moved into high gear for deployment of distribution automation, AMI, smart meter delivery and installation, and customer demand response recruitment in Norman between January and June of next year.”
A few weeks ago, OG&E revealed other smart grid technology partners, including GE Energy, Silver Spring Networks and The Structure Group for assistance in business management of smart grid implementation and utility transformation.
