ARRA SGDP National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (Enhanced Demand and Distribution Management Regional Demonstration)

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) was demonstrating Smart Grid technologies with 27 cooperatives in 11 states across multiple utilities, geographies, climates, and applications including low density areas, low consumer income areas, and service areas prone to natural disasters. NRECA was to conduct studies in advanced volt/volt-ampere reactive for total demand; generation and transmission-wide (G&T) demand response over advanced metering infrastructure (AMI); critical peak pricing over AMI; water heater and air conditioning load control over AMI; advanced water heater control and thermal storage; consumer Internet energy usage portal pilots; consumer in-home energy display pilots; time-sensitive rates pilots; multiple AMI integration at G&T co-ops; distribution co-op meter data management system applications; and self-healing feeders for improved reliability. Installations were to be be implemented in four successive tranches, each of four months’ duration. A study was to be conducted at the conclusion of each trance to improve the study plan, alter the type of data collected if necessary, and to assess the type of equipment installed and its configuration. This information was to be shared across the co-op community.