As noted in UTC's blog post yesterday, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to guide its study on the communications requirements of utilities in the Federal Register today. The DOE is looking for information to help it understand utility communication needs, including, but not limited to, the requirements for the deployment of the Smart Grid.

The RFI also seeks to collect information about electricity infrastructure’s current and projected communications requirements, as well as the types of networks and communications services that may be used for grid modernization. Specifically, DOE seeks information on what types of communications capabilities that the utilities think that they will need and what type of communications capabilities that the communications carriers think that they can provide.

This study is part of the recommendations made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) its National Broadband Plan. It specifically called on the DOE to conduct a study into the current and future communications needs of utilities for smart grid and other communications. In the NBP, the FCC explained that one of the reasons for this recommendation is that the record that was developed at the FCC was inadequate for it to determine the communications needs of utilities for smart grid. The RFI is the result of the FCC’s NBP recommendation. As such, this study will attempt to gather the quantitative information that the FCC was after when it sought comment on smart grid during its NBP docket; and it could lay the groundwork for providing utilities with access to spectrum for smart grid, as well as for other communications needs

Comments are due 60 days after publication of the RFI in the Federal Register, and reply comments will be due 75 days after publication of the RFI in the Federal Register. The RFI was published in the Federal Register today (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-11129.pdf) and outlines instructions for filing comments. Comments are due on July 12, 2010, with the last date for return comments being July 26.

UTC will be working quickly to develop its comments in response to the RFI and encourages all member input for its filings. For more information, please review the UTC Information Bulletin (access available to UTC members only), or contact the UTC Legal/Regulatory Department.