AEP Ohio Seeks To Install Fiber (Broadband) As Part Of Smart Grid Deployment

AEP Ohio Would Complete Territory-Wide Deployment Of Smart Meters

AEP Ohio has filed for approval of Phase 3 of its gridSMART grid modernization initiative, which includes a proposal for fiber deployment by AEP Ohio.

Under the proposal, AEP Ohio would complete the deployment of AMI (smart meters) to the company’s remaining customers, replacing 475,000 existing meters with advanced meters

As part of Phase 3, AEP Ohio proposed to install fiber optical cable (also known as fiber connections, dark fiber, or fiber) to select Access Points (APs) and the first distribution line device outside the station for DACR and VVO circuits rather than installing the traditional wireless communication to these devices.

Regarding the fiber deployment, AEP Ohio said, "AEP Ohio does not currently plan to offer last mile or end-user broadband service. However, if the rules changed to allow AEP Ohio to offer these services to customers and traditional ISPs did not take the opportunity to expand to these rural customers, AEP Ohio will evaluate the business case associated with offering these services."

As previously reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, AEP is supporting legislation which would allow utilities to provide, "customer-focused energy services or products" and "smart grid technology" to customers

AEP Ohio also detailed how customers can control their smart home devices using an AEP Ohio device, which will receive AMI info

"The Energy Bridge is a device offered by the Company that connects the It’s Your Power app with a customer’s AMI meter, giving access to energy usage in real-time. The Energy Bridge also offers access to a suite of additional energy management tools that allows customers to control all of their smart home devices, including bulbs, switches, and sensors," the utility said

"It’s Your Power coupled with the Energy Bridge provides customers real-time energy usage (every 3 seconds). This additional tool aligns with the PowerForward initiative, as it helps enable smart home management. It’s Your Power provides customers the ability to see disaggregated appliance usage, appliance health and coaching, set budgets, receive notifications, and control other smart connected devices in the home like thermostat, smart lights, and EV charging. The advisor cards within It’s Your Power are customized to individual users coaching the customer on best actions to take with personalized tips and information regarding whole house usage," AEP Ohio said

AEP Ohio also proposed adding functionality to provide AMI interval data to competitive retail electric service (CRES) providers via electronic data interchange (EDI) for CRES customers on time of use programs, "to enable a more automated transmittal of data that is more efficient for the CRES providers."

"EDI data automates the gathering of the information for the CRES providers. Today, the CRES providers must access the portal to retrieve the information. Once the CRES provider retrieves the information manually, they must also manually add the data to their system in order to bill the customer. Adding EDI functionality for CRES TOU product customers will allow the CRES to have machine-to-machine access of data," the utility said

AEP Ohio currently performs final 60-day settlement using AMI interval data for all AMI customers on a CRES TOU program or that have greater than 200kw of electricity demand.

"AEP Ohio is exploring the possibility of expanding the existing program, which would allow market settlement of all customers using AMI interval data. Once AEP Ohio has completed a full analysis of such an expansion, the Company will make a subsequent filing regarding an implementation plan," AEP Ohio said

Case No. 19-1475-EL-RDR