Oregon Public Broadcasting

Utilities and the big hydroelectric operator, Bonneville Power Administration, are planning to make a play for millions of federal dollars for a new electricity experiment.

The federal stimulus bill has a pot of $400 million for “Smart Grid” demonstrations. Rob Manning reports on the quick pace and potential complications of the coming changes.

Step one of the Smart Grid looks small, and happens fast.

Dave Groft: “I’m going to pull the meter, test all the voltages, and then stick the new meter in.”

In less than 90 seconds, technician Dave Groft, swaps out a toaster-sized electricity meter with a new smart meter - which looks about the same from a distance.

Technicians will switch out more than 800,000 meters for Portland General Electric customers over the next year and a half.

Bill Nicholson: “It’s the beginning of the smart grid, you have to start with a smart meter and that opens up a window on so many other things.”

When you flip the switch, where does your power come from? And what will power Northwest homes and businesses in the future? We're asking these questions and more for our special series The Switch.

PGE Vice President Bill Nicholson says smart meters will provide useful information. Customers will see what power they’re using, and when. Utilities can get better data, too, and may track outages better. They should save money. But smart meters are just the start. 

BPA vice president, Mike Weedall says the Smart Grid represents a quantum leap forward - like the way rotary-dial phones have given way in recent years to cell towers and blackberries.

Mike Weedall: “Pull out your cell phone - this ain’t what Alexander Graham Bell developed. All the bells and whistles associated with it - some day, we’re going to have similar bells and whistles on the electrical system.”

The Smart Grid intends to confront practically every problem the electrical grid faces - supply problems, demand problems, and old age. Experts say the key is to get the various parts - and parties - to talk to each other.

It makes sense for BPA to talk to utilities for two more reasons: the feds have told BPA they’ll only fund "partnerships"; and BPA needs the utilities to chip in some money.

To get the $50 million BPA wants, BPA needs up to $40 million from the utilities. The Smart Grid is billed as a money-saver, long term. Still BPA’s courtship had a certain “shotgun wedding” feel to it.

Lee Hall: “There is some urgency about this.”

That’s Lee Hall with BPA.

Lee Hall: “When I say urgency, we think we have about eight weeks to put together a partnership and make a proposal to DOE.”

BPA wants residential customers to test programmable appliances and thermostats, and factories and farms to try out high-tech controls. But advocates wonder if BPA’s Smart Grid would be too focused on what customers are doing.

Avnaesh Jayantilal: “What if, any are your proposals for transmission?”

That’s Avnaesh Jayantilal with the energy company, Areva. He notes that the BPA plan doesn’t address the biggest transmission problem: that wind power is variable, and more turbines keep going up.

Avnaesh Jayantilal: “That’s going to have a significant impact on how you operate your hydro and your transmission in your new buildout.”

And climate change watchdogs wondered if a Smart Grid experiment could include a way to track carbon emissions.

BPA officials say they might add elements dealing with generation and transmission. But in general, they say customer elements are easier to test.

Some utility execs are cautious about committing quickly to a proposal that could involve sharing customer information. Gary Nieborski with the Kootenai Electric Cooperative in Idaho, says some customers are wary of the new technology.

Gary Nieborski: “We’ve gotten some feedback that they feel it’s intrusive. We don’t want any blankety-blank government looking into how we use our hot water and how we heat our house. Having said that, though, we’re up to give it a try.”

The Smart Grid demo would be voluntary - both for utilities and for their customers. By the end of this week’s meeting a handful of utilities agreed to work with BPA on the Smart Grid proposal. Portland General Electric is one of them.