CHICAGO — The installation of smart meters is going as planned for ComEd. The company has installed more than a million meters as part of the multi-billion dollar smart grid upgrade.
One of the concerns right now is over the data collected by those meters. Some fear their privacy will be compromised. The meter can track up to the minute energy use. Critics argue it could potentially help someone figure out when a person is home, how many people live in the home and/or changes in routine.
ComEd has been trying to hammer out some regulations along with the Illinois Commerce Commission. The guidelines are important for tech start-ups that need the data to get their projects off the ground.
Mark Handy leads Kinjeva Energy Systems, the company identifies the most congested parts of the electricity grid and then pays consumers to power down. Handy says, “the only way we can do that is if we have access to the data that’s coming out of those meters.”
ComEd predicts that by the end of the year regulations will be in place that will give better access to third party companies trying to attain the data.
For more information about the smart grid and how to cut power bills, visit: CUBSmartPower.com
