These advanced technologies include advanced sensors known as Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) that allow operators to assess grid stability, advanced digital meters that give consumers better information and automatically report outages, relays that sense and recover from faults in the substation automatically, automated feeder switches that re-route power around problems, and batteries that store excess energy and make it available later to the grid to meet customer demand. “Smart grid” technologies are made possible by two-way communication technologies, control systems, and computer processing. Utilities also benefit from a modernized grid, including improved security, reduced peak loads, increased integration of renewables, and lower operational costs. Consumers can better manage their own energy consumption and costs because they have easier access to their own data. Our electric infrastructure is aging and it is being pushed to do more than it was originally designed to do. Modernizing the grid to make it “smarter” and more resilient through the use of cutting-edge technologies, equipment, and controls that communicate and work together to deliver electricity more reliably and efficiently can greatly reduce the frequency and duration of power outages, reduce storm impacts, and restore service faster when outages occur. The Office of Electricity (OE) is working with its public and private partners to strengthen, transform, and improve energy infrastructure to ensure access to reliable, secure, and clean sources of energy.

It is an ecosystem of asset owners, manufacturers, service providers, and government officials at Federal, state, and local levels, all working together to run one of the most reliable electrical grids in the world. The electric grid is more than just generation and transmission infrastructure. electric grid is an engineering marvel with more than 9,200 electric generating units having more than 1 million megawatts of generating capacity connected to more than 600,000 miles of transmission lines. America’s economy, national security and even the health and safety of our citizens depend on the reliable delivery of electricity.

Smart grids video