Dive Brief:
- Kentucky regulators have scheduled two meetings to take public comment on whether the state should implement smart grid technologies, including smart meters, and the electric rates necessary to support them.
- The meetings will be held Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 at the Public Service Commission's office in Frankfort. Both will begin with a presentation about the issues, WFPL News reports.
- All of Kentucky’s jurisdictional electric utilities and the five largest natural gas utilities are parties to the case.
Dive Insight:
Regulators say they have already received many written comments regarding smart meters and smart grid technology. “These meetings are an opportunity for members of the public to express their views directly to the commissioners,” said PSC Chairman David Armstrong.
Along with the state's jurisdictional electric utilities and five largest gas utilities, parties include the Kentucky Office of Attorney General and Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison, and Nicholas Counties Inc., which represent the interests of low-income ratepayers.
"The proceeding also is exploring whether the use of smart grid technologies can be combined with various dynamic pricing rate structures to encourage greater energy conservation and efficiency," the commission said in a statement.
Specific issues to be considered include: Customer privacy; smart meter opt-out provisions and allocation of any resulting costs; customer education, including education about health issues; the use of dynamic pricing; cyber security; and a discussion on how gas companies should participate in the smart grid.
