Make the right commitment to Smart Grid.

In building “smart” networks, utilities are committing to a foundation of technology and vendors that must be able to support their operations for many years.

• Do you have a sound strategy in place for moving loads from peak to off-peak periods?
• Have you considered Smart Grid and Advanced Metering Infrastructure technologies but aren’t sure of the right direction for your business and needs?
• Do you know how you will build, manage, and pay for a Smart Grid?
• What are the best communication technologies to connect to the AMI Meters and Smart Grid automations devices throughout your service territory?
• Which Home Area Network (HAN) strategy will deliver reliable results in the short term but allow for innovation and support an eco-system of suppliers?
• Have you considered the opportunity cost of not implementing Smart Grid solutions—in terms of both your operations and your customer relationships?

With the stakes high and the options many, how can you be sure you are moving forward with the right solution?

Seek the right experience.

If you are considering or beginning a move to a Smart Grid, take a look at West Monroe Partners. We offer a wealth of experience in the energy and utilities industries, along with expertise in key disciplines that comprise an effective Smart Grid solution:

• Wired and wireless communication technology
• Information technology applications and infrastructure design and integration
• Distributed generation
• Demand response solutions
• Home Area Networks (HAN)
• Security designed into the solution from the beginning
• Consumer program development and delivery
• Integrated project management and quality approach for all project phases
• Establishing a program management office and business intelligence tools to manage deployment, track goals, and identify issues

One size does not fit all.

Smart Grid solutions come in many forms—each one customized to meet a utility’s specific needs. A well-designed master plan is essential.

A successful Smart Grid initiative begins with a thorough assessment of needs and goals. As part of this assessment, West Monroe Partners works with your executive team to define high-level operational and customer benefits such as:

• Energy savings through customer-targeted efficiency and demand-response programs
• Operational enhancements due to significant reduction in billing estimates and customer billing disputes
• Improved equipment efficiencies from proactive system maintenance
• Distribution network enhancements that enable efficiency, reliability, and distributed generation
• Energy savings by reducing energy theft and network losses
• Reduced carbon emissions
• Identification and quantification of societal benefits

Based on this assessment, we then help you:

• Formalize a Smart Grid vision, including defining the components required to achieve your vision
• Prepare a cost/benefit analysis
• Create a business case and funding proposal
• Select the right vendors and solutions
• Develop and deliver customer programs
• Implement the Smart Grid vision
• Train employees
• Integrate the Smart Grid IT applications into your existing systems
• Integrate infrastructure in a merger or acquisition

Building a smarter, greener utility grid.

A well-designed, efficiently executed Smart Grid initiative benefits both utilities and end customers. Customers can lower the growth of utility spending, while utilities can achieve a variety of operational and business goals, including:

• Understanding and managing demand proactively in order to improve reliability and network utilization and reduce peak energy costs
• Creating rate plans that provide customers with choices and encourage them to shift energy use to non-peak periods—for example, charging their cars during off-peak hours
• Minimizing needs to purchase electricity from other utilities in order to satisfy peak demand
• Integrating distributed and renewable energy sources

Does your utility have an achievable Smart Grid vision? Are you confident that you can turn that vision into real benefits? With practical experience across all facets of Smart Grid design and implementation, West Monroe Partners can help you deliver and put your organization at the forefront of the movement toward building smarter, greener utility grids.

Contact us for more information about energy and utilities solutions.

Learn more about how West Monroe Partners helped a large midwest utility deploy Smart Grid.