Boulder CO’s SmartGridCity Project

Xcel Energy embarked on a large-scale project known as SmartGridCity in 2008, including installing two- way fiber-optic communication technology and smart meters for one quarter of the population. The final report on a pilot pricing project of approximately 4,000 households (including CPP, PTR, and TOU rates) showed that peak demand was reduced under each pricing structure, with CPP exhibiting the highest-percentage reductions of near 30 percent. SmartGridCity is defended by some as a successful research project, but criticized by many for cost overruns and failure to deliver promised results to consumers. IBM reviewed and assessed the project for city managers.