Smart Grid helps FPL deliver power to consumers

FPL Smart Meters integrate smart grid automation, radio frequency reads, automated feeder switches, and an energy dashboard to enhance outage detection, reroute power, deliver real-time usage insights, and help customers control energy bills.

Bryan Olnick, Florida Power & Light FPL vice president of Customer Service for Smart Grid Solutions, discusses the roll out of Smart Grid technology and the benefits for FPL customers.

Florida Power & Light Company is rolling out advanced technology that, like efforts by U.S. utilities across the country, will allow FPL to improve upon its already industry-leading reliable service and give its customers more control than ever over their energy bills.

The technology includes smart meters, like the automated digital meters adopted by Progress Energy, which will replace the traditional meters on the side of their customers' home. Unlike the traditional meters, which required someone to visit the customers' home and read the energy use on a monthly basis, the smart meters use radio frequencies to communicate with our network. Automated feeder switches and other installed "smart grid" technologies on poles and power lines are integrated with the smart meters, allowing FPL to reroute power in the case of an outage and minimize the number of customers who will be impacted. The upgrade to smart meters will also help the utility to see outages in the system to ensure a faster response time in restoring the customers' power.

What's more, FPL customers will have access to the information your smart meter delivers through an "energy dashboard" that, much like smart meters in Delaware have shown, gives customers a complete look at their account and their energy use by the month, day or hour. The energy dashboard will show customers their energy use history and even project future bills, as demonstrated in a pilot project using smart meters to control costs, based on current use patterns.

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