Commonwealth Edison, an electric utility with operations in the Chicago area, plans to leverage its 130,000-unit network of smart meters to determine how the smart grid of the future will look.

ComEd announced this week that it is planning a five-pronged strategy in its smart grid initiative, dubbed the Smart Grid Innovation Corridor. One component of its study will involve solar photovoltaic equipment; the solar PV test will determine how solar energy affects the ComEd grid and look at the customer benefits of solar power.

Also on the utility's docket is an "intelligent substation" that uses computer analysis to improve grid reliability. And ComEd is planning to install electric-vehicle charging stations around Chicago. It will examine the impact of electric-car charging on the grid.

Ten communities are included in the utility's innovation corridor - an effort that will help ComEd engineers "learn the best and most cost-effective way to deliver value to our customers, help them manage their bills and improve system reliability," ComEd president Anne Pramaggiore said.

Smart grids are expected to be rolled out across the country in the coming years, and ComEd's project could offer valuable information about the benefits intelligent infrastructure can provide.