California Smart Grid Attributes: California Public Utility Commission Metrics

California regulatory agencies such as the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) and state energy policy and planning agencies such as the California Energy Commission (CEC) are continuing to launch a broad range of smart grid initiatives. Smart Grid refers to a nationwide modernization of the electric grid with design features meant to enhance security of U.S. energy infrastructure and help ensure reliable electricity delivery in the face of growing electrical energy demand. The CPUC is tasked with adopting standards and protocols applicable to power delivery in general and to assist in the development of deployment plans for investor owned utilities (IOUs) in this emerging smart grid arena. Over many months the CPUC held numerous public workshops and garnered feedback from as wide an audience as possible so that a set of metrics can be created that specifically addresses a measureable smart grid. These proposed metrics must clearly show the rate payers the value of the smart grid in terms of utility rates, system reliability, environmental sustainability, and social justice across issues of income, race, geographic location, and other perceived needs. This paper presents a generalized view of the need for metrics and introduces some of the required details of Smart Grid metrics.