[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 62515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25541]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Availability of Report on the Communications 
Requirements of Smart Grid Technologies

AGENCY: Office of the General Counsel, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Through this notice, the Department of Energy (DOE) announces 
the availability of its report entitled, ``Communications Requirements 
of Smart Grid Technologies.'' In this report, DOE sets forth 
recommendations and observations on current and potential 
communications requirements of the Smart Grid, as well as the types of 
networks and communications services that may be used. DOE also 
provides a comprehensive summary of the comments received in response 
to a Request for Information and during a public meeting conducted 
during the preparation of the report. This report responds to 
recommendations for DOE set forth in the National Broadband Plan 
authored by the Federal Communications Commission at the direction of 
Congress.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the report, comments received and the transcript 
of the public meeting are available for public inspection at the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Room 1G-051, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Public inspection can be 
conducted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. These documents can also be accessed online at http://www.gc.energy.gov/1592.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen C. McLaughlin, Senior Legal 
Advisor to the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
the General Counsel, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Tel.: (202) 586-5281. E-mail: 
[email protected].
    For Media Inquiries, you may contact Jen Stutsman at (202) 586-
4940. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 11, 2010, DOE published a Request for 
Information (RFI) seeking comments and information from interested 
parties to assist DOE in understanding current and future 
communications needs of the Smart Grid and how they may be met. 75 FR 
26206. The RFI sought to collect information and open a dialogue about 
the communications technologies required to realize the many potential 
benefits of the Smart Grid, as well as the types of networks and 
communications services that may be used to meet these requirements. To 
gather additional data, DOE also published a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing a public meeting to discuss the issues presented in 
the RFI. 75 FR 33611 (June 14, 2010). The public meeting, held on June 
17, 2010, provided another forum in which interested parties could 
provide comments and information, as well as engage in constructive 
dialogue with other interested parties.
    In developing its report entitled, ``Communications Requirements of 
Smart Grid Technologies,'' DOE considered all of the comments and 
information received during the public comment process, as well as 
other information pertaining to communications requirements of the 
Smart Grid. In this report, DOE discusses the results of DOE's efforts 
to collect and analyze diverse perspectives on the current and future 
communications requirements of the Smart Grid.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 5, 2010.
Scott Blake Harris,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2010-25541 Filed 10-8-10; 8:45 am]
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