Meeting #45: Grid Modernization

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

District of Columbia Public Service Commission
8th Floor – Commission Hearing Room
1325 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Topic

The United States has one of the most technologically advanced, reliable grids in the world. And yet, the need to modernize the grid to accommodate new energy and information technologies, market structures, and customer preferences is urgent. Grid modernization studies and initiatives are underway at the federal government, at state public utility commissions, and at many electric utilities. However, “modernization” covers a wide variety of topics. Today, we’ll learn about federal policy drivers for grid modernization, progress at one MADRI jurisdiction (the District of Columbia), and modernization plans for Exelon, the country’s largest electric utility holding company. We’ll also hear about an annual report that tracks and scores grid modernization efforts in all 50 states and DC.

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Agenda
Final Agenda - pdf

9:30 – 10:00am
Networking with attendees

10:00 – 10:15am
Introductions
The Honorable Betty Ann Kane, Chairman, DC Public Service Commission
Janine Migden-Ostrander, Regulatory Assistance Project

10:15 – 11:00am
Overview of Federal Policy Drivers for Grid Modernization
Kevin Lynn, US DOE
Craig Glazer, PJM Interconnection

We’ll start the day with a look at federal electricity policies that affect states – with a focus on what might change with the new administration and what probably won’t.

11:00am – Noon
Grid Modernization and Interconnection at the DC Public Service Commission
Naza N. Shelley, DC Public Service Commission

There’s a lot of buzz around grid modernization and what needs to be done and how. Interconnection issues are also heating up as the number of entities that want to connect to the utility are increasing at rapid pace. In this session, we’ll hear about the DC PSC’s Grid Modernization staff report released in January 2017 and what they have learned. Then we will get an overview of the DC Commission’s recently proposed revisions to DER interconnection rules that update their existing rules.

Noon – 12:45pm    Lunch

12:45 – 1:00pm
Distribution Grid 101
Rob Stewart, PEPCO Holdings (an Exelon Company)

To prepare everyone for the afternoon’s discussions, we’ll have a utility engineer give us a quick rundown on how the distribution grid works. What’s a feeder? What’s a circuit? How does the system work? It will be a review for some and a eureka moment where the (LED) lightbulb goes on for others.

1:00 – 2:00pm
Exelon’s Grid Modernization Plans in MADRI Jurisdictions
Rob Stewart, PEPCO Holdings (an Exelon Company)

Exelon filed Grid Modernization proposals at various state PUCs as part of the Exelon/PHI merger approval process. In this session, we will take a deep dive into the filing as a case example of what utilities think is needed to modernize their grids. We will look at how the need for upgrades is evaluated and what options are considered. (Bring your engineering hat!)

2:00 – 3:00pm
Annual Grid Modernization Index
Bryan Nicholson, GridWise Alliance

Published by the GridWise Alliance in collaboration with Clean Edge, the Annual Grid Modernization Index ranks and assesses all 50 states and Washington DC, based upon the degree to which they have moved toward a modernized electric “Grid of the Future.” A speaker from the GridWise Alliance will explain the purpose of the index, review the thinking behind the scoring system, and discuss the latest rankings, what’s changed, what lies ahead, etc.

3:00 – 3:15pm     Wrap-Up, Adjournment