Dive Summary:
- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) revealed a shift in its smart grid strategy by announcing the cancellation of its WiMAX network; the utility doesn’t expect any delays in its smart grid plans as a result of the cancellation.
- The utility had been one of the few interested in investing in WiMAX networks for smart grid activities, but the technology has been surpassed as a viable smart grid option due to the growth of 4G LTE cellular networks.
- After its announcement in 2009, SDG&E had planned to finish the WiMAX network by 2013 and use it as a general-purpose smart grid tool for greater operations integrity, direct control, security, and cost efficiencies.
From the article:
San Diego Gas & Electric has scrapped plans to build a high-speed private WiMAX network to support its smart grid applications.
The utility revealed the shift in strategy in a recent filing with the California PUC. SDG&E does not expect a delay in any of its smart grid plans as a result of the change, and expects to be able to repurpose some of the deployed equipment. ...