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Smart Grid Maturity Model (SGMM)

Created September 2018

The smart grid is a constantly evolving infrastructure of digital technology and power industry practices for improving the management of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. The Smart Grid Maturity Model (SGMM) helps utilities plan their smart grid journeys.

Power Grid Transformation

A major power grid transformation is underway. The smart grid's modernized controls and communication make energy use more reliable, secure, and efficient. Electric power utilities need to develop a vision and roadmap for their own smart grid transformation.

Informing a Vision for Smart Grid Transformation

Developed by utilities for utilities, the SGMM is a management tool that helps electric power utilities plan their smart grid journeys, prioritize their options, and measure their progress. The SGMM's eight domains provide a framework for understanding the current extent of smart grid deployment and a context for establishing strategic objectives and implementation plans:

  • Strategy, Management, and Regulatory
  • Organization and Structure
  • Grid Operations
  • Work & Asset Management
  • Technology
  • Customer
  • Value Chain Integration
  • Societal & Environmental
SGMM domains

Why Do Utilities Use the SGMM?

Utilities use the SGMM to assess their current state of smart grid implementation; define their goals for a future state; and generate inputs into their road-mapping, planning, and implementation processes. Major investor-owned utilities and small public power utilities alike, in the United States and around the world, have said the model helps them

  • identify where they are on the smart grid landscape
  • develop a shared smart grid vision and roadmap
  • communicate with internal and external stakeholders using a common language
  • prioritize options and support decision making
  • compare themselves over time and to the rest of the community
  • measure their progress
  • prepare for and facilitate change

SGMM Navigation

SGMM Navigation is a five-step process used to assess a utility’s progress toward smart grid implementation and set future aspirations.

  1. Preparation. Participants attend an introductory meeting.
  2. Survey workshop. Stakeholders from across the utility complete the Compass Assessment Survey as a team.
  3. Analysis. Compass data is analyzed against the model and community data, and findings are prepared.
  4. Aspirations workshop. Stakeholders from across the utility review the findings and agree on strategic smart grid aspirations.
  5. Wrap up. Stakeholders plan and document actions based on the aspirations.

The SGMM Compass Assessment Survey automatically generates a scoring report with a maturity level profile compared to the model and baseline aggregate data from the other utilities.

 

Software and Tools

Smart Grid Maturity Model Assets Collection (SGMM), Version 1.2

January 2012

These are the assets related to version 1.2 of the Smart Grid Maturity...

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How Do Utilities Apply Navigation Results?

A completed, scored Compass survey yields a maturity rating for each of the model’s eight domains. The levels of maturity represent defined stages of an organization’s progress toward achieving its smart grid vision:

  1. Initiating
  2. Enabling
  3. Integrating
  4. Optimizing
  5. Pioneering

By increasing its maturity levels as appropriate, an organization moves closer to obtaining the desired benefits of implementing smart grid features, including

  • automation
  • efficiency
  • reliability
  • energy and cost savings
  • integration of alternative energy sources
  • improved customer interaction
  • access to new business opportunities and markets

The flexibility of the Smart Grid Maturity Model enables a utility to establish its own unique target maturity profile for smart grid implementation.

Each Compass scoring report also includes baseline aggregate data from all utilities that have completed the survey. A utility can compare this baseline aggregate data to its own survey responses and maturity profile.

SGMM baseline comparison

Learn More

Essential Answers about SGMM

November 28, 2018 Brochure

Key questions and answers to get started with the Smart Grid Maturity Model...

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SGMM Partners and Navigators

September 12, 2018 Fact Sheet

List of Smart Grid Maturity Model (SGMM) Partners and Navigators as of...

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