The 50 States of Grid Modernization:  Grid Modernization Activity Increased By 75% Over Q1 2017

Raleigh, N.C. – (May 3, 2018) The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) released its Q1 2018 edition of The 50 States of Grid Modernization. The quarterly series provides insights on state regulatory and legislative discussions and actions on grid modernization, utility business model and rate reforms, energy storage, microgrids and demand response.

The report finds that 37 states and the District of Columbia took actions related to grid modernization during Q1 2018 (see figure below), with the greatest number of actions relating to advanced metering infrastructure rules, energy storage deployment, grid modernization investigations and utility business model reforms.

A total of 259 grid modernization actions were taken during Q1 2018, up from 196 actions last quarter. This also represents a 75 percent increase over the 148 actions taken in Q1 2017. New York, California and Massachusetts took the greatest number of actions during the quarter, followed by Hawaii, New Jersey and Minnesota.

Q1 2018 Legislative and Regulatory Action on Grid Modernization

 

The report identifies five trends in grid modernization activity taken in Q1 2018:

• Grid resilience planning emerging as a new area of focus among states;
• States working to define the scope of grid modernization;
• A growing number of states addressing access to system and customer data;
• States expressing both support for and concerns about advanced metering infrastructure; and
• Energy storage taking a central role in grid modernization, with a majority of U.S. states taking action on energy storage during the quarter.

“Grid modernization activity is increasing at an astounding rate,” said Autumn Proudlove, lead author of the report and Senior Manager of Policy Research at NCCETC. “In particular, we are seeing a broadening of state activities, with individual states addressing several different aspects of grid modernization simultaneously.”

The report notes the top five policy developments of Q1 2018 were:

• An Arizona regulator proposing a 3 GW energy storage target and a clean peak standard;
• Hawaii initiating a transition to performance-based ratemaking;
• Texas regulators denying AEP’s proposed battery storage projects, while opening a rulemaking proceeding related to energy storage;
• Virginia enacting legislation related to electric distribution grid transformation projects; and
• The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Concluding its PowerForward grid modernization proceeding.

“The large number of actions dealing with energy storage shows how the technology has emerged as an important part of the grid modernization picture,” noted David Sarkisian, Senior Policy Analyst at NCCETC. “Regulators are actively considering how to incorporate energy storage into electricity markets and utility planning frameworks.”

View the 50 States of Grid Modernization Q1 2018 Executive Summary

View and Purchase the 50 States of Grid Modernization Q1 2018 FULL Report

View the 50 States Reports – Solar, Grid Modernization and Electric Vehicles

About the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center

The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, as part of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, advances a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies. It serves as a resource for innovative, sustainable energy technologies through technology demonstration, technical assistance, outreach and training. For more information about the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, visit: http://www.nccleantech.ncsu.edu. Twitter: @NCCleanTech

Media Contact: Shannon Helm, NCCETC, shannon_helm@ncsu.edu