U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to Present Major Report on Smart Grid Interoperability Standards

NIST to Host Detailed Briefing Following Report’s Unveiling

WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will present a major new report for public comment next Thursday on the Smart Grid—the planned next-generation network for distributing electricity throughout the country by incorporating modern information technology—in Washington, D.C.

The draft report, entitled NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0, was developed during the first phase of NIST's three-phase plan to identify technical standards to support the interoperability of Smart Grid devices and systems. Following Locke’s unveiling of the draft report at the GridWeek 2009 Conference at 8:30 a.m., an in-depth public briefing by NIST will include an opportunity for stakeholders to review the report’s contents and learn about next steps. The public will have 30 days to comment on the report.

“This report represents input from more than 1,500 stakeholders who have participated in NIST’s process of developing a Smart Grid framework,” said NIST’s George Arnold, National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability. “It identifies a foundational set of standards for grid interoperability and security, as well as high-priority action plans to fill gaps where additional standards are needed.”

Commerce Secretary Locke Unveils Smart Grid Report
WHEN: 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009
WHERE: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Web site: http://www.gridweek.com/2009/

NIST Smart Grid Report Briefing
WHEN: 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009
WHERE: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

The three-hour briefing is free and open to the public. For more information on NIST’s work with Smart Grid, visit http://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/. The agenda has been posted at http://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/GRIDWEEKAGENDA.pdf.

When completed, the Smart Grid will employ real-time, two-way digital information and communication technologies in the nation’s electricity grid. The system would allow consumers to save money on their energy costs, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and create clean energy jobs.

Under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, NIST has "primary responsibility to coordinate development of a framework that includes protocols and model standards for information management to achieve interoperability of [Smart Grid] devices and systems." Interoperability—the ability of diverse system components to work together – is vitally important to the Grid’s performance.