Rising Star: Advanced Metering
Other exciting efforts to improve energy efficiency are advancing in Texas — notably, advanced metering and a PUC study completed in December 2008 that will guide the current 2009 Texas Legislature regarding what energy efficiency goals are achievable in the long term.
The 2007 legislation included provisions allowing utilities to deploy advanced meters more quickly. That legislation recognized the positive impact that these meters could have by reducing customer consumption and bills, facilitating additional retail electric provider offerings, reducing transmission and distribution utilities’ costs, and enhancing reliability. Advanced metering systems will open up a world of information to customers and will enable them to have access to features such as energy usage analyses, new innovative rate plans (such as those based on time-of-day usage), load control services, and services not even envisioned today.
The PUC has moved aggressively to accommodate the advanced meter objectives. It recently approved advanced metering deployment plans for the customers of two utility companies: CenterPoint Energy and Oncor Electric Delivery. CenterPoint will deploy an advanced metering system across its service territory over the next five years, beginning this spring. Over time, everyone in Oncor’s service area will receive an advanced meter with access to a Web portal that will track energy consumption in 15-minute intervals. AEP Texas Central and AEP Texas North are expected to file advanced metering plans soon.
As stated earlier, AECT members support energy efficiency. An issue we will continue to monitor, and a term we will insist upon, is compensation for the outlays our member companies make in order to meet the energy efficiency goals through available programs.
But all in all, we recognize that energy efficiency — much like the fiddle — has become a key player in Texas, and our association definitely wants a part on the stage.
— John W. Fainter, Jr., is CEO and president of the 15-member Association of Electric Companies of Texas (www.aect.net), which is a trade organization of investor-owned electric companies. Organized in 1978, the AECT provides a forum for member company representatives to exchange information about public policy and to communicate with government officials and the public.
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