Positive Energy Smart Grid program: OG&E is bringing smart grid technology to customers in its entire service territory over the next 3-7 years. The smart grid uses a secure wireless network to share information about power quality, reliability, demand and cost between OG&E and our customers. It will help all of us better manage electricity to match our lifestyles and pocketbooks. OG&E’s smart grid deployment also involves new smart equipment like sensors on lines and poles to further improve power quality and reliability. This year, OG&E is recruiting participants for a customer study of devices in homes and businesses that provide information about how much electricity is being used and how much it costs.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): The secure wireless network that transports the messages regarding the status of OG&E’s lines and equipment and the amount of electricity being used. It allows OG&E to remotely read meters and turn service on and off, shortening the response time for customers.

Smart Meter: All customers along the smart grid will have a smart meter. OG&E plans to install almost 42,000 smart meters at customers’ homes and businesses in Norman in 2010, making it the first smart grid community. This digital electric meter measures electric consumption and communicates information to and from OG&E. If service to the smart meter is interrupted for any reason, OG&E will be notified automatically and can immediately begin to investigate the cause and the fastest way to restore service.

Programmable Communicating Thermostats: Like other programmable thermostats, this unit adjusts the operation of the heating and cooling system in a home or business based on the user’s programmed temperature settings. The difference with a PCT is that it can also receive secure wireless messages from OG&E, including pricing information that customers can use to determine whether to change the programmed temperatures on the thermostat — to save even more money.

In-Home Display Panels: These devices, used as part of the 2010 and 2011 Norman customer study, will display changes in electricity prices and other information from OG&E. That way, customers can make informed decisions about whether to tailor their energy consumption and save money.

Peak Demand Periods: At certain times of the year, customer demand for electricity reaches its highest levels. In Oklahoma and Arkansas, it’s during the hot summer months from 2 to 7 p.m. on weekdays — that’s when the cost of generating electricity during peak demand periods is at its most expensive.

Off-Peak Demand Periods: During the summer months, as well as the rest of the year, this is when customer demand for electricity is lower outside of the 2 to 7 p.m. peak demand periods. Less expensive electricity generation can be used during non-peak demand periods.