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Calif. PUC Adopts Rules for Provision of Smart Meter Data, Privacy

July 29, 2011
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The California PUC approved rules to protect the privacy and security of customer usage data generated by smart meters, and to provide customers with timely usage and pricing data (R.08-12-009).

Within six months, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric must each file an application that includes tariff changes which will provide third parties with access to a customer's usage data via the utility's backhaul when authorized by the customer. The three utilities should propose a common data format to the extent possible, and which should be consistent with ongoing national standards efforts.

The utilities should propose eligibility criteria to access customer information, a process for determining eligibility, and a process whereby the Commission can exercise oversight over third parties, such as a registration process, the order states.

Within six months, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric must each file a Tier 2 advice letter including tariff changes to make price, usage, and cost information available to customers online and updated at least on a daily basis. Each day's usage data, along with applicable price and cost details, and with hourly or 15-minute granularity (matching the time granularity programmed into the customer's smart meter), must be available by the next day.

The tariff changes must offer residential customers bill-to-date, bill forecast data, projected month-end tiered rate, and notifications as the customers cross rate tiers as part of the pricing data provided to customers. The prices must state an "all in" price the customers pay for electricity.

PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E must also commence a pilot study to provide price information to customers in real time or near–real time.

In addition, the three utilities are directed to work with the California Independent System Operator in developing a methodology to make wholesale prices available to customers on each company's website.

The decision orders PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E to each file a Tier 3 advice letter within four months to develop Smart Meter Home Area Network implementation plans specific to each. The plans must include an initial rollout of service to up to 5000 Home Area Network (HAN) devices that would allow HAN activation for early adopters upon request.

The PUC's order applies to the three utilities and third parties accessing the data from the utility. However, the decision also explicitly exempts community choice aggregators and electrical service providers from the rules adopted in the decision. Phase 2 of the PUC's Smart Grid proceeding will explore whether the rules and policies adopted in the instant decision should also apply to community choice aggregators and electrical service providers.

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