On the impact of SmartGrid metering infrastructure on load forecasting

Accurate real-time load forecasting is essential for the reliable and efficient operation of a power system. Assuming that the number of electrical vehicles will increase substantially in the near future, the load profiles of the system will become too volatile and unpredictable for the current forecasting techniques. We propose to utilize the accurate reporting of the emerging Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to track the incoming PHEV load requests and their statistics. We propose a model for the PHEV loads statistics and an optimization of the generation dispatch that uses the full statistical information. This model offers an example of the potential impact of the smart metering infrastructure currently being deployed.