EnerNex Completes DSTAR Report on the Impact of 5G on the Electric Utility Industry

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#5G–EnerNex, a CESI company, was recently engaged by DSTAR, a consortium of North American utilities, to develop and deliver a comprehensive study on the fifth generation (5G) digital cellular service and its potential impact on utility operations.

EnerNex has completed the study and delivered the final report which:

Provides an overview of the transformational technologies that make up the 5G family of services;
Explores the intersection of this technologies capabilities with the needs of the electric industry; and
Examines the impact of small cell infrastructure on utility assets such as distribution poles.

For DSTAR, the motivation for this report came from an interest from their utility members to hear from fellow utilities, telecommunications carriers, and related equipment providers and uncover their respective expectations, needs, and requirements with a focus on the impact of this technology.

The combination of research, analysis and dialog with study participants identified a number of areas of common need, dependence on standardization, and the requirement for continued collaboration.

“Emerging 5G wireless services promise last mile speeds comparable to coax and fiber, without the attachment, clearance, and right of way issues of wireline drop cables. With the demand for always connected, fixed and mobile users, 5G is happening at a faster pace than originally anticipated,” stated Ron Chebra, Vice President of Grid Modernization with EnerNex. “There are realistic and practical opportunities for electric utilities to be both users and participants in this new world of communications.”

“As the 5G conversation continues to evolve, we look forward to working with our partner utilities and members of the telecommunications industries as they work together to leverage the power of 5G technology that ultimately will provide consumers a better experience,” Paul Jakubczak, Director of Electric and Gas Systems with Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, and DSTAR project technical lead representative. “Our hope is that our members, and the industry at large, will gain an appreciation of the complexity and continuous technological innovations happening in the telecommunications industry, some of the motivation for these advancements, the markets they are targeting, and how the electric utility is or can be involved.”

For access to the report or to learn more, please visit dstar.org.

About DSTAR

DSTAR stands for Distribution Systems Testing, Application, and Research (DSTAR) which is a consortium of electric utilities, facilitated by General Electric International, Inc. through its Energy Consulting Group. Throughout its more than 30+ year history, DSTAR has provided its member utilities with results that are directly applicable to everyday distribution design, planning, engineering, operations, and maintenance. The DSTAR model offers utilities a cost-effective and responsive way to address complex distributed energy challenges that require unique and innovative solutions. The members cooperatively fund research enabling each utility to get significant research and development value out of their individual contributions. For more information on DSTAR, visit dstar.org or geenergyconsulting.com for more information.

About EnerNex

EnerNex, a CESI company, is a leader in providing engineering, consulting, and research services to the electric power industry worldwide. Founded in 2003, the company is focused on helping our clients understand, adopt and leverage new and emerging electric power technologies to advance a cleaner, smarter energy system of the future.

To learn more about CESI, a world-leading innovation, technical consulting and engineering company for the electric power sector, visit: www.cesi.it.

For more information on EnerNex: