New York State Smart Grid Coalition Unveils White Paper Outlining Roadmap for New York’s Grid Modernization

Consortium of utilities, regulators, policy makers, academics and technology providers share priorities for energy infrastructure initiatives post-Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC), a public-private partnership devoted to statewide implementation of the smart grid, today released a white paper that articulates long-range objectives for grid modernization in New York State that support the bold initiatives Governor Andrew Cuomo recently outlined in his annual State of the State speech. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the paper also urges for a coordinated approach to harden the state’s infrastructure and modernize the power system, which in turn will support the recommendations offered by the New York State 2100 Commission.

“The analysis as part of the white paper we commissioned demonstrates the achievable objectives and tangible benefits to the consumer that grid modernization throughout New York can provide”

“As Hurricane Sandy has shown us, there has never been a stronger incentive to invest in hardening our energy infrastructure and deploy innovative smart grid technologies that will make New York’s energy system more robust, resilient and adaptable,” said Robert B. Catell, Chairman of the New York State Smart Grid Consortium. “Our findings both reflect and support Governor Cuomo’s priorities for an innovative electric vehicle infrastructure, the expanded integration of renewable energy into the state’s energy system, and a coordinated effort to modernize the state’s aging infrastructure to meet evolving consumer demands for increased reliability.”

With extreme weather events occurring more frequently, it is clear that New York’s electric infrastructure needs to become more resilient. The NYSSGC white paper outlines the innovative efforts currently underway, some of which include smart grid projects that analyze conditions in real-time and self-heal in the event of a system disturbance. By enhancing situational awareness operators can better anticipate and recover from severe storms, but the grid itself will have the capability to automatically detect, isolate and respond to disturbances to that the flow of power to consumers is consistent and reliable. The white paper offers three key goals of grid modernization for New York:

• Enhance the situational awareness and control of the grid;
• Improve the grid’s ‘self-healing’ capability;
• And, provide more information and tools that help the consumer better manage their electricity usage.

“The analysis as part of the white paper we commissioned demonstrates the achievable objectives and tangible benefits to the consumer that grid modernization throughout New York can provide,” added Catell. “Despite the long-term ability to reduce costs, grid modernization is a complicated process requiring careful deployment and assessment of new approaches. Through our collaboration of energy providers, technology leaders, and research institutions, as well as with the leadership of Governor Cuomo and his administration, a coordinated smart grid effort will create a more flexible, efficient, and resilient grid to fully support New York’s ambitious energy goals and ensure we are prepared for both future challenges and opportunities.”

Composed of New York’s major utilities, operators, industry, academia, government and end-users, the NYSSGC commissioned the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to conduct in-depth member interviews, research and analysis, to outline the current status of smart grid projects and the opportunities and challenges for the future of New York State. By harnessing the collective efforts of key stakeholders to implement an electric power system that is efficient, flexible, and reliable, while simultaneously facilitating renewable resources, the efforts of NYSSGC and its members will not only ensure that New York is better prepared for future storms, but that a smarter grid will reduce energy costs and give more control to the consumer. A copy of the white paper can be found here.

About the New York State Smart Grid Consortium

New York is home to a world-class leading effort designed to establish a pathway towards lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of our Grid. The New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC) brings together the world’s leading utilities, technology providers, policy makers and research institutions to identify opportunities that show the most promise for broader smart grid technology deployment. The Consortium provides the perfect convening point to develop, test and eventually implement the best solutions and a way to work with policy makers to identify needed regulatory developments. In addition to serving as an advocate for the best technology and policies, the Consortium serves as a resource and collection of experts when it comes to the future of New York State’s grid. Incorporated on July 22, 2009, the Consortium is a not-for-profit 501(c) 6 corporation – for more information, please visit www.nyssmartgrid.com.