According to the statistics of the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), temporal and geographical variations in the utilization of the as-
signed spectrum range from 15% to 85%. The limited available radio spec-
trum and the inefficiency in spectrum usage necessitate a new commu-
nication paradigm to exploit the existing spectrum dynamically.
Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) was assigned “primary responsibility to coordinate
development of a framework that includes protocols and model standards for information
management to achieve interoperability of Smart Grid devices and systems…” [EISA Section
1305]. 35 This responsibility comes at a time when the electric power grid and electric power
industry are undergoing the most dramatic transformation in many decades. Very significant
investments are being made by industry and the Federal government to modernize the power grid.
To realize the full benefits of these investments—and the continued investments forecast for the
coming decades—there is a continued need to establish effective smart grid 36 standards and
protocols for interoperability.
