Can the focus on Nuclear boost AMI?

Nuclear is back on the table again, but first it must go through all the regulatory approvals, a process which takes years. Approval processes will require looking at all possible alternatives to building a new nuke – efficiency programs, distributed energy incentives, and demand response. Both distributed energy and demand response programs need AMI to be effective.

Unfortunately, the demand response benefit of AMI is rather short lived. There is only so much load shifting people are willing to do. There is only so far a utility can go with making prices disparate at various times of day.

Once habits are changed, and everyone has programmed their thermostat, and put start timers on appliances to start after 7, the marginal value of load shifting will decline.

At that point, perhaps 3-4 years after AMI is widespread, I think we're really gonna see the need for new baseload power, and the transmission infrastructure to support it.

So here's a plan - ride this AMI wave for a few years, then go back to the nuclear industry. The never-finished Bellefonte Nuclear Power plant on the Tennessee River in Alabama, not far from Chatanooga is a lovely place to work. Lots of nice golf courses.