ANSI Accreditation for Smart Grid Testing and Certification Framework

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), coordinator of the U.S. standards and conformity assessment system, is supporting an interoperable smart grid for the United States. Ranking among the Obama Administration's top priorities for the nation, the smart grid is a planned nationwide network that integrates information and communication technologies, enabling two-way flows of energy and communications to deliver electricity efficiently, reliably, and securely.

The Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) – a joint effort of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the private sector – released today version 2.0 of the testing and certification framework for the North American electric power industry. The framework lays out a plan to enhance the quality of secure and interoperable smart grid products and significantly reduce their installation cost in the smart grid.

"Accreditation by ANSI enhances the credibility and value of this interoperability process by attesting to the competence and qualifications of certification bodies," says Lane Hallenbeck, ANSI vice president for accreditation services. "The Institute brings many years of experience and broad government recognition in delivering quality accreditation programs. As the nation takes steps to modernize the grid, ANSI looks forward to contributing its expertise in supporting the integrity of this important national priority."

ANSI accreditation offers a formal, third-party process for review and recognition of certification programs. The international standard, ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems, forms the cornerstone of ANSI's accreditation process for product certification programs.