ComEd Takes Next Step toward Becoming a Utility of the Future

Utilities have a reputation for being stodgy and slow to change, but not all of them fall into this trap. ComEd in Illinois is among those adopting new technologies and is striving to be a trailblazer in how it conducts its business. Currently, ComEd is roughly halfway finished with a systemwide smart meter deployment, having installed some 2.4 million meters in its territory since September 2013. Beyond smart meters, the utility has taken another step in its aim to be what it calls a utility of the future, having just launched an online website to sell energy management tools so its customers can buy products to help lower their bills and save energy.

Changing Business

Dubbed ComEd Marketplace, the site enables customers to educate themselves about energy management tools and buy related products such as LED light bulbs, smart thermostats, water conservation devices, and connected home products like advanced smoke alarms, smart door locks, and security cameras. The site is powered by Simple Energy, a Colorado-based firm that specializes in customer engagement.

ComEd officials envision their new online marketplace evolving as “a cornerstone of our utility where our customers can transact with us and other parties for a wide range of energy-related products and services,” according to Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of ComEd.

The idea for the marketplace sprang from one of the utility’s employee hubs that was designed to foster innovation, and officials envision this platform will enable added products and services in the future. The launch of the marketplace is the latest example of how the utility strives to deliver innovative and convenient customer solutions. Earlier in 2016, ComEd introduced a new method by which customers can report service outages via Twitter, which the utility claims is a first in the industry.

Other Innovators

ComEd is not alone in the effort by utilities to embrace new technologies that offer customers the kind of digital experience they have come to expect in the connected world. For example, Pacific Gas & Electric in California has a pilot program in place with BMW that involves a small sample of EV owners to better understand their habits and needs; the BMW i ChargeForward program also aims to reduce the overall cost of EV ownership. In Vermont, Green Mountain Power has taken a flexible and holistic approach in offering its eHome energy management program, which integrates a variety of new technologies, including smart thermostats, plugs, solar PV, EV charging, and Tesla’s Powerwall. DTE Energy in Michigan is another utility at the technology forefront, having launched its Insight mobile app that can help customers conveniently manage their energy use from a smartphone and lower their energy bills.

These offerings demonstrate that some utilities are willing to embrace and deploy new technologies for the benefit of their customers. It is a wonder more utilities have not taken similar steps to move beyond stodgy.