Smart grid forces transmission operators to find new, better tools, warns NERC report

Quick Take: Bulk power operators will need new tools to respond to the demands of the smart grid, warns a new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Although much smart grid activity takes place at the distribution level, the resulting changes ripple up to the high-voltage transmission system. - Jesse Berst

Integrating smart grid technologies and devices into the bulk electric system can improve its reliability, but planners and operators will need to come up with new ways to deal with the significant changes those new technologies will bring. That's the assessment from a North American Electric Reliability Corporation's (NERC) report, Reliability Considerations from the Integration of Smart Grid. And that assessment outlines what will be a much bigger workload for planners and operators involved in the bulk power system: they will be responsible for identifying the tools and models needed to ensure successful large-scale integration of smart grid technologies and components. Also, they will be required to refine risk management in terms of cyber and physical security and controls, increase visibility and dispatchability and commit to a substantial R&D effort. The NERC report also recommends forming a liaison with Canada to collaborate on standards to guarantee interoperability across the border. At 127 pages it's not light reading, but it is worthwhile.

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