Societal Actors and Dominant Smart Grid Visions - Smart Grid (R) Evolution: Electric Power Struggles - page 73

4 Societal Actors and Dominant Smart Grid
Visions

4.1 Smart Grid Actors, Their Priorities, and Interactions
Many societal actors are engaged across multiple venues in planning, building, operating,
and otherwise engaging with smart grid. Each actor views the promises and pitfalls of smart
grid from their unique perspective, shaped by different interests, priorities, and logics about
howthefutureenergysystemshouldfunction,whoshouldcontrolit,andwhoshouldbenefit
from its operation. Their perspectives also incorporate larger societal values such as equity,
fairness, efficiency, control, and autonomy. The perspectives of these different actors are not
fixed; they vary depending on the context and evolve over time. Nobody involved in smart
grid and electricity system change works in isolation; rather, individuals and organizations
engage with one another in multiple ways, navigating and negotiating across many different
issues and engaging with multiple different technologies.
In this chapter we focus on the societal actors intentionally engaged in the evolution
of smart grid. We explore the larger social context within which they are situated and
the dynamic forces shaping their interactions with smart grid and one another. We focus
on understanding the actors and their dominant visions based on a generalized review of
their different priorities and perspectives. We describe four categories of societal actors
involved in smart grid development: (1) utilities, energy service companies, and suppliers
of electricity system equipment; (2) government entities at multiple levels; (3) consumers
of electricity; and (4) civil society. Variations in the priorities and perspectives of these
different actors are described in a general way throughout the chapter and are summarized
in Table 4.1 .

Table 4.1 Priorities and Perspectives of Societal Actors involved in Smart Grid

Key Actors Who Priorities and Perspectives

Electricity
generation

Incumbent and
new entrants to

Electricity companies must make
a reasonable rate of return to