The commission order clears the way for OG&E to install advanced metering infrastructure and distribution automation equipment that will improve the efficiency and reliability of the electric system, OG&E said.
Smart grid deployment will add $1.57 to the average residential customer’s monthly electric bill for the next 42 months. The company projects that the operational cost savings and customer benefits made possible by the smart grid technology will greatly exceed the cost of deployment.
Under a 2009 commission order, OG&E has completed the installation of more than 42,000 smart meters in Norman, Oklahoma, and is deploying distribution automation equipment there for enhanced reliability and efficiency, the company said.
According to OG&E, smart grid installation crews are now moving into Moore and south Oklahoma City, and the recent commission order will allow for systemwide deployment by the end of 2012.
The US Department of Energy selected OG&E’s application last year for funding to help cover a portion of the cost of the company’s smart grid program. The grant can be used for deployment of smart grid technology across OG&E’s territory in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
