ComEd Launches Ambitious 'Smart Grid Innovation Corridor'

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Commonwealth Edison has launched a group of five Smart Grid pilot projects that will incorporate 10 Chicago communities. The projects included in the ComEd Smart Grid Innovation Corridor are intended to evaluate the Smart Grid technologies and

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implementation approaches for residential solar power, ComEd's first intelligent substation, distribution automation, EV charging stations and dynamic voltage regulation. The project is designed to build on the information gathered from smart meters installed in 130,000 homes in the area. "The smart meter is the on-ramp to the Smart Grid, and our goal is to ensure that these systems work for our customers. The ComEd Smart Grid Innovation Corridor allows us to prove out advanced technologies under realistic operating conditions," according to Terrence Donnelly, executive VP of operations for the utility. Anne Pramaggiore, president and COO for ComEd, said the unique innovation corridor will allow the utility to study "a variety of advanced Smart Grid technologies individually and in relation to each other. Through this deliberate approach, we will learn the best and most cost-effective way to deliver value to our customers, help them manage their bills, and improve system reliability." Most of the projects are expected to "go live" in December, and the photovoltaic and EVs and charging infrastructure pilots are expected to be underway in 2011.

Quick Take: The more real-world settings Smart Grid technologies are tested in the better. This is an ambitious undertaking by ComEd, but it’s also what customer engagement is all about.

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