The most intelligent utilities?

How do you decide which utilities are most intelligent? In IDC Energy Insights and Intelligent Utility magazine's third annual UtiliQ rankings released this week they measure utilities' progress toward intelligent operation.

"While the smart grid is an exciting project, it generates hype," says Kate Rowland, editor-in-chief of Intelligent Utility magazine. "The reality is far more outcome-based. UtiliQ measures each utility's progress against five criteria needed for a reliable, affordable and sustainable utility. Scores compute into a three-digit IQ."

UtiliQ rated 78 American utilities on operational efficiency, integration of renewables, smart-energy initiatives, demand response/energy efficiency programs and IT investments.

And the top five:

1.     San Diego Gas & Electric (Sempra Energy)

2.     PG&E

3.     Austin Energy

4.     Pinnacle West Capital Corp.

5.     Edison International

No question there's a lot of hype surrounding the smart grid and this is a worthwhile analysis. But it's only a piece of the pie. For example, would all of these utilities be on a "most intelligent" list if the survey went beyond technical IQ and also factored in strategic (business model) IQ or customer IQ? Use the Talk Back comment form to tell us what you think.