Archive for the ‘AMR/AMM/AMI’ Category

As utilities around the world have initiated major smart grid infrastructure upgrades over the past several years, cyber security has become a critical priority. Security measures are designed to protect the electrical grid from attacks by terrorists and hackers, as well as strengthening its resilience against natural disasters and inadvertent threats such as equipment failures and user errors. According to a new report from Pike Research, the intense focus on smart grid cyber security from utilities, infrastructure vendors, standards bodies, and world governments is spurring a surge in revenue growth, and the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that the sector will increase from $1.2 billion in 2009 to $3.7 billion by 2015.

The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued the second draft of its Smart Grid Cyber Security Strategy and Requirements, which now identifies more than 120 interfaces that will link diverse devices, systems, and organizations engaged in two-way flows of electricity and information and classifies these connections according to the risks posed by a potential security breach. This document will undergo public review, ending on April 2, 2010. After reviewing the comments received and completing ongoing analyses of requirements and relevant standards, the working group will finalize the Smart Grid cyber security strategy. NIST expects to issue a completed report by early summer.

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Residents in Sebastopol, California are worried that the installation of smart meters by Pacific Gas and Electric is a health hazard. The city held a town hall meeting to hear consumer concerns over radiation from the meters’ electromagnetic fields.  Dozens of peope addressed the City Council, many wearing “Smart Moratorium” buttons. “This is a matter of choice,” explained Nancy Hubert. “They are not allowing us a choice. I think this is pretty outrageous actually.”

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Landis+Gyr, as part of its contribution to the development of an energy conscious future, today launches AGUILOG®, a solution designed to optimise utility operations and improve overall service efficiency.

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Smart meters are an essential first step towards a fully-functioning smart grid.  Energy users will be able to gain insights into exactly how they are using energy and when.  It is hoped that this immediate feedback will motivate consumers to take control of their usage when in the past not much thought was given to wasting electricity.

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A new research report says global implementation of Smart Grids could be hobbled by two seemingly unlikely stakeholders: utilities and their customers.

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PCN Technology is now releasing its newest Grid MicroCircuits™ product. Based upon the company’s core open standards patented conductive media technology, this product delivers advanced IP Enabled (TCP/IP) Ethernet functionality on existing serial twisted pair RS-485 networks.

Tantalus Systems Corp. announces that Johnson City Power Board (JCPB) has selected Tantalus for a system-wide Smart Grid communications network.

Until rules and regs governing Smart Grid privacy are written, utilities have two choices: Bury their heads in the sand and pay the added cost of retrofitting later – or be proactive. In the first of a two-parter, members of a leading law firm’s Privacy and Data Security team tell you how to get ahead of the game.

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A new report from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) says that a smart electric grid could reduce carbon emissions from the utility industry by 12 percent and reduce usage by the same amount.  The report is titled “The Smart Grid: An Estimation of the Energy and CO2 Benefits.”

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