IBM has begun a new coalition to accelerate the adoption of intelligent utility network (IUN) technologies and solutions on a global basis. CenterPoint Energy Inc.'s electric T&D subsidiary CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric (Houston, Texas, U.S.) is the founding member of a group of utilities working with IBM on this initiative.

The Intelligent Utility Network Coalition is being launched and developed by IBM to help accelerate the adoption of IUN technologies and solutions globally. This effort will include: establishing an industry community for collaboration, knowledge sharing, education and innovation; working with energy industry and standards groups; and the development and deployment of IUN strategic solutions and technologies. Utilities and related companies based in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific are expected to join CenterPoint Energy in the initiative over the next several months.

The utility coalition extends an IUN "roadmap," which IBM and CenterPoint Energy have developed, in consideration of the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid 2030 initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy's GridWise vision and the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) Intelligent Grid framework.

"We're excited to be the founding member of this coalition," says Tom Standish, CenterPoint Energy group president, regulated operations. "We expect that the intelligent grid will improve electric power line grid planning, operations and maintenance, enabling us to deliver power more efficiently. We also expect the technology to contribute to fewer and shorter outages and higher productivity while maintaining our high level of data security. This innovative technology will provide on-demand data and information that will create a platform for exciting new products and better service for our customers."

IBM and CenterPoint Energy are engaged in a strategic effort to develop and deploy IUN solutions designed to enhance the efficiency and reliability of utility operations at CenterPoint Energy and to increase the ability of customers to manage and use energy in a more cost-effective and energy-efficient way.

IBM and CenterPoint Energy have been collaborating on several projects including the initial limited deployment of an advanced meter infrastructure (AMI), which allows remote connection and disconnection of service and automated meter reads for customers in the Houston area. In conjunction with the AMI project, IBM and CenterPoint Energy are implementing components of a "self-healing grid," which will provide grid data, information and analytics to improve outage-detection and outage-restoration times, grid planning, and ongoing operations. This limited deployment provides the field trials that will enable CenterPoint Energy to have an automated and proactive capability to anticipate problems, find solutions and optimize the performance of its power-delivery system.

IBM Global Services is collaborating with CenterPoint Energy on the implementation and deployment of the telecommunications network required to support IUN initiatives, including the design and implementation support for the broadband over power lines technology used as a component of the overall communication infrastructure.