The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today initiated a proceeding to address, "the strategic use of energy-related data, and to develop the policies necessary to appropriately balance privacy and system security concerns with a rapidly changing marketplace."

In its order, the PSC said, "In order to enable access to energy related data, a clearly defined data access framework must be developed that establishes the necessary privacy and cybersecurity requirements for access to energy related data. Through the multiple data proceedings, one thing that has regularly become apparent is the inconsistency and lack of clarity on requirements for data access. The establishment of a Data Access Framework that clearly defines the process for access, standardizes the necessary privacy, cybersecurity, and quality requirements for access to energy related data will ensure uniform treatment across various energy related data use cases. This framework will also include the development of metrics regarding quality and accuracy of energy related data."

Staff was directed to, within 60 days, file a whitepaper regarding development of a data access policy framework that standardizes the necessary privacy, cybersecurity, and quality requirements for access to energy related data. This whitepaper shall take into consideration energy data initiatives in other jurisdictions and include, at a minimum, proposals for: (1) standard definitions of key data related terms; (2) customer consent; (3) access to what types of data by whom; (4) privacy controls; (5) cybersecurity requirements; and, (6) data quality standards.

The PSC noted that while the Commission deemed the creation of a centralized repository for energy related data premature in 2015, "it is now appropriate to reevaluate this option in light of the ongoing development of DER markets."

"An integrated energy data resource should include both customer usage and system data, and should help to reduce DER supplier transaction costs associated with access to energy related data," the PSC said

Staff was further directed to, within 60 days, file a whitepaper regarding the creation of an integrated energy data resource that would provide a platform for access to customer and system data. This whitepaper shall take into consideration energy data initiatives in other jurisdictions and include recommendations for stakeholder engagement, data resource design, data resource use cases, implementation, and operation. Both this whitepaper and the data access policy framework whitepaper discussed above shall be filed in this proceeding and issued for public comment.

"Ready access to customer energy usage and system data is a central theme of the State’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy to animate markets and to promote innovation and customer choice," the PSC said in a news release

Summarizing the order, the PSC in a news release said, "As a result of today’s action, Department of Public Service staff will file two whitepapers for public comment: one regarding the creation of an integrated energy data resource that would provide a platform for access to customer and system data, and a second regarding development of a data access policy framework that standardizes the necessary privacy and cybersecurity requirements for access to energy related data."

As previously reported, in its December 2018 Order Adopting Accelerated Energy Efficiency Targets, the Commission directed the establishment of a new comprehensive data proceeding guided by the principles to: increase customers’ familiarity with and consent to appropriate data sharing; move towards improved access by third-party service providers to customers’ energy usage data, consistent with such consent; link customer energy usage data with other sources of building data, energy use drivers, and energy systems data to enable enhanced identification of opportunities for deployment of distributed energy resources and energy efficiency; and provide that mechanisms for appropriate access to customer usage data are implemented in a useful, timely, and quality-assured manner.

The Commission’s 2018 order established guiding principles to serve as foundational elements for developing policies that appropriately balance privacy concerns with the rapidly changing energy marketplace. These principles include: (1) increase customers’ familiarity with and consent to appropriate data sharing; (2) movement towards improved access by third party service providers to customer energy usage data, consistent with consent; (3) linking customer energy usage data with other sources of building data, energy use drivers, and energy systems data to enable enhanced identification of Energy Efficiency/DER opportunities; and (4) providing that the mechanisms for appropriate access to customer energy usage data are implemented in a useful, timely, and quality-assured manner.

"The Commission today determined that, on a going forward basis, the topic of the strategic use of customer energy usage data should be further developed in a comprehensive manner," the PSC said

Case 20-M-0082

Tags:
New York   Big data  

Comment on this story


ADVERTISEMENT
NEW Jobs on RetailEnergyJobs.com
TPV-SALES-EXECUTIVE -- Back Office Provider -- Other
Sr-Market-Risk-Analyst -- Wholesale Supplier/Trader -- New York - New York City Metro
Energy-Regulatory-Specialist -- Other -- Other
More Stories on RetailEnergyX.com:
Long Island Lawmakers Decry "Poison Pill" Charge In LIPA Tariff For Opt-out Municipal Aggregation
NY Agency Reminds That Unsolicited Telemarketing Calls Are Prohibited During State of Emergency
New York DPS Staff Proposes Customer Data Access Framework, Consent, Qualifications (Cyber-risk)
Multi-City New York Municipal Aggregation Including Albany & Capital Region Delayed
LIPA Adopts Tariff Allowing Opt-out Municipal Aggregation