A new video documents how smart grid applications are benefiting consumer-members in northern Vermont.
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A new video provides a clear picture of how one cooperative is using smart meters and new software applications to bring practical, measurable benefits to consumer-members. Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is integrating smart meter infrastructure with an outage management system and GPS truck tracking system to bring down the number of outages and reduce the duration of those outages. In 2005, members were averaging 3.6 outages per year; they are now down to fewer than two per year. The co-op, which serves a rugged terrain, uses the new technology identify the location, diagnose the cause and get crews to the location more quickly. To obtain this level of data integration, the co-op uses only MultiSpeak compliant applications.
As a bonus, VEC members can track their electricity use online and share it on Facebook through the co-op’s WattWatchers program (current membership about a thousand).
Every consumer-member of Vermont Electric Cooperative will have a two-way smart meter by the end of 2013.
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