(Washington, DC) Consumer privacy and access to consumption data are two key components to ensuring continued consumer support for smart grid deployments, participants said today during the Department of Energy's (DOE) Roundtable discussion on its Privacy and Data Access Request for Information (RFI). A group representing utilities, technology vendors and consumer advocates responded to a wide range of questions from DOE General Counsel, Scott Blake Harris. The bottom line consensus among the participants is that ensuring the privacy and security of consumer data is essential to consumer acceptance of the smart grid.

Discussions focused on the enormous potential for smart grid to foster efficiency and cost savings without limiting technology going forward. Participants included

• Robert C. Rowe, the President and CEO of NorthWestern Energy;
• Arlen Orchard, General Counsel of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District;
• Michael A Goodroe, President and CEO of Sawnee EMC;
• Adrian Tuck, CEO of energy-management company Tendril;
• Bill Levis, Consumer Counsel of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies;
• Rey Ramsey, CEO of TechNet;
• David Szczupak, CTO of Whirlpool;
• Jeffery A. Campbell, Director of Technology and Communications Policy for Cisco; and
• Phil Weiser, Senior Advisor for Technology and Innovation to the Director of the National Economic Counsel.

One of the top points of agreement from the diverse set of participants is that privacy of consumer data is paramount and that customers should have control over dissemination of their data to third parties. Still, the amount and granularity of new consumer consumption data flowing from the smart grid will likely lead to an innovative ecosystem that results in enhanced consumer benefits.

This roundtable discussion was held to help DOE inform state and federal leaders on smart grid data privacy issues. DOE is slated to issue a report on its RFI in early fall. UTC will be filing formal comments in the RFI proceeding and will continue to participate in this process.