Grid Modernization Outcomes, Capabilities, and Enablers (Version 2.0)

Outcomes / Capabilities/Activities* / Enablers
Customer Engagement
and Empowerment / Rate Design (especially Time-Varying Rates) /
  • Billing System
  • Metering System ( AMR)
  • Meter Data Management System
  • Customer Information Management System
  • Customer Communication System (e.g., web portals)
  • Rate Design Targeted Tariffs (e.g., TOU, TVR, DER, and EV rates)
  • Geo-targeting (i.e., identify locational value of DER)
  • SCADA/DMS (storage demand response)
  • Third-Party, Competitive Aggregators and Suppliers
  • Information: Transparency, Management, Control, Privacy

Home Energy Management Systems & Smart Appliances
Information: Access to Customer and System Data
Information: Transparency, Management, Control, PrivacyAccess to customer data
Education and Enhanced Technical Assistance
Storage Technologies, EVS, PV, and CHP
Energy Efficiency Programs (traditional and CVR)
Demand Response Programs
Third-Party, Competitive Aggregators and SuppliersCompetitive Supply Options
Optimize Demand / Rate Design (especially Time-Varying Rates) /
  • Billing System
  • Metering System (AMR)
  • Meter Data Management System
  • Communications
  • SCADA/Distribution Management System/DA
  • Rate Design Targeted Tariffs (e.g., TOU, TVR, DER, and EV rates)

Volt/VAR Control, Conservation Voltage Reduction
Load Control
Home Area Network Capability and Home Energy Management Systems
Energy Storage
Advanced Load Forecasting
Integrate Distributed Resources / Rate Design (especially Time-Varying Rates) /
  • Communications
  • SCADA/Distribution Management System/DA
  • Relays and protection systems
  • GIS
  • System and circuit planning models
  • Metering System (AMR)
  • Rate Design Targeted Tariffs (e.g., TOU, TVR, DER, and EV rates)

Voltage Regulation /
Load Leveling and Shifting
System protection (3V0, voltage control, reverse power, DTT, frequency)
Energy Storage
Remote Connect/Disconnect
ResiliencyReliability:
Improve Response reduce impact of to Outages / Fault Detection, Isolation and Restoration /
  • Communications
  • SCADA/Distribution Management System/DA
  • System and circuit planning models
  • Outage Management System
  • Geospatial Information System
  • Real-Time Communication System
  • System Sensors
  • Voltage and Frequency Control, Protection
  • Mobile damage assessment
  • Metering System (i.e. outage information from AMR)

Automated Feeder Reconfiguration
Intentional Islanding (e.g., strategic microgrids)
Situational Awareness
Damage Assessment
Distributed Energy Resources (especially i.e. microgrids, demand response and back-up generation resources)
Reliability:
Prevent Outages / System Hardening /
  • Reliability database
  • Asset management system
  • GIS

Aging Infrastructure Replacement
Pre-Detection of Potential Outages
Vegetation Management
Workforce and Asset Management / Mobile Workforce Management / Communications
  • Outage Management System
  • Geospatial Information System
  • Mobile Data Systems

Mobile Geospatial Information System
Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics /

Note: Capabilities/Activities are connected here to their primary outcomes. Some Capabilities/Activities can also help facilitate other outcomes (see definitions).

Overarching Goals:

  1. Improve reliability and resiliency
  2. Improve operational efficiency of the grid
  3. Empower customers to use electricity more efficiently and to lower their bills
  4. Reduce the costs of generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity
  5. Reduce environmental impacts of the electricity industry

Resiliency is more than just reliability or preventing outages. Resiliency is the ability of the electric system to safely and reliably integrate intermittent distributed resources, optimize demand, reduce impact of outages, prevent outages, and effectively act as the enabling platform for many different grid modernization uses and technologies.