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Ohio PUC Institutes Workgroups On PowerForward Grid Modernization Proceeding, Including Workgroup On Retail Supplier Access To Customer Data

October 24, 2018

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Copyright 2010-17 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com

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Update, 10/25:

PUCO's written order has provided specific language concerning the working group's charges.

PUCO's entry specifically provides that the Data and Modern Grid Workgroup (DWG), "should address the following tasks: (i) create protocol for data privacy protections; (ii) drive toward real-time or near real-time data becoming available; and (iii) prescribe methodology for competitive retail electric service (CRES) providers and other third parties to obtain customer energy usage data, including a method for CRES providers to obtain the total hourly energy obligation, peak load contribution, and network service peak load."

PUCO further said that, "The Collaborative, PWG and DWG should prioritize the substantive items that these groups have been tasked with in the Roadmap and further described in this Entry, but these groups are also given the flexibility, through leadership from the Staff, to add to this list and to prioritize discussion as they deem appropriate."

Earlier:

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today adopted an entry creating two working groups in its PowerForward grid modernization proceeding.

In addition to starting an over-arching PowerForward collaborative process, PUCO created two specific working groups: (1) the Data and the Modern Grid Workgroup (DWG), and (2) the Distribution System Planning Workgroup (PWG)

Although PUCO's written entry was not immediately available, Chairman Asim Z. Haque said during the PUCO's meeting that these two workgroups would follow the proposals and charges as set forth in the PowerForward roadmap

In such roadmap, PUCO had previously said that it envisioned the creation of a workgroup called the Data and the Modern Grid Workgroup (DWG) to address data access issues associated with grid modernization. In such roadmap, the Commission had encouraged that, at a minimum, the DWG accomplish the following tasks:

• Prescribe a uniform methodology across the EDUs for CRES (competitive retail electric service) providers and other third parties to obtain CEUD (customer energy usage data) including a method for CRES providers to obtain the THEO (Total hourly energy obligation), PLC (Peak load contribution) and NSPL (Network service peak load) values.

• Allow customers to obtain real-time, or near real-time, access to CEUD through the connection of qualified home area network (HAN) devices to the customer’s smart meter.

• Create protocols for data privacy protections.

The roadmap had recommended that the Distribution System Planning Workgroup (PWG) address, among other things, the following:

• Development of NWA suitability criteria, processes and timeline for implementing NWA opportunities.

• Evaluation of options for procuring NWAs.

The larger collaborative also started by PUCO's order will serve as an "umbrella" process for various grid modernization issues identified by PowerForward

The first collaborative will be held December 6

PUCO opened the following dockets

18-1597-EL-GRD: Data and Modern Grid Workgroup

18-1595-EL-GRD: PowerForward Collaborative

18-1596-EL-GRD: Distribution System Planning Workgroup

Concerning the broader PowerForward Roadmap, the roadmap had, as exclusively reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, said that utility default service Time of Use (TOU) or dynamic pricing could serve as a "benchmark" for the competitive market TOU offerings

The roadmap had said, "The Commission encourages, in parallel with advanced meter deployment, that each EDU propose or amend an existing TOU rate design for SSO customers, which may include: real time pricing, block and index pricing, TOU pricing, variable peak pricing, critical peak pricing, and/ or critical peak rebates."

"TOU rates may provide a benchmark for more dynamic products and services in the retail market as they develop," the roadmap stated

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