Smart Grid Costs Are Massive, but Benefits Will Be Larger, Industry Study Says

Deployment of smart grid technology from U.S. utility control centers and power networks to consumers’ homes could cost between $338 billion and $476 billion over the next 20 years, but will deliver $1.3 trillion to $2 trillion in benefits over that period. The benefits will include greater grid reliability, integration of solar rooftop generation and plug-in vehicles, reductions in electricity demand, and stronger cybersecurity, according to a new study by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

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