An electricity use monitoring pilot program dubbed “smart grid” may be coming soon to the Maryland suburbs.
Local electric utility Pepco filed a proposal with state regulators last week to put between 2,500 and 3,500 “smart meters” in homes in Bethesda and Fort Washington. The meters record how much and when electricity is used each month and can communicate with Pepco to indicate power outages.
The pilot program would also include sensors on circuits at two substations that have a history of power outages. Pepco said the sensors would allow the utility to identify, isolate and fix the problems more quickly.
“The result should be fewer electricity outages, which has afflicted our homeowners and businesses for far too long,” said Montgomery County Councilman Roger Berliner, a supporter of the pilot program.
The economic stimulus plan recently passed by Congress includes $11 billion for “smart grids” nationwide. It also calls for 40 million “smart meters” to be installed around the country.
The pilot program is “consistent with the national push for smart grid, but independent of it,” Berliner said.
Also in the plan, consumers can opt into a tiered payment plan that would charge more for electricity during peak usage times and charge less when electricity demand is low. So-called “smart thermostats” would tell consumers when demand and prices are high.
“Basically the whole idea is to try … and to give people a chance to conserve energy and save money,” said Pepco spokesman Bob Hainey.
The $1.7 million-a-year cost of the program would be spread out to all of Pepco’s ratepayers, Berliner said, though individual participation would be free and voluntary.
Pepco has a similar pilot program already in place in the District.
The Maryland Public Service Commission has to approve the program. Pepco said it wanted to start the program as soon as it was approved.
