Gridmetrics taps into the power of the broadband network

The hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) network is comprised of hundreds of thousands of nodes equipped with power supplies and integrated cable modems. Thanks to its distributed architecture, cable operators have a unique neighborhood-level view of the devices that are powering the network's last mile.

That setup also gives operators a high-level, consistent view of the status of the power network – a view that tends to be better than what the power utilities themselves can see despite their expanded use of smart meters.

Gridmetrics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CableLabs, has turned that view (and the data behind it) into a set of products that can help entities such as public safety organizations, banks and insurance companies, and assisted living facilities get a heads-up on power outages and other power-related events that are deemed critical. Gridmetrics President Scott Caruso joins the podcast to discuss the company's power-monitoring platform.

Tracking power outages

With a network of more than 325,000 sensors that currently cover about 50% of the US population, Gridmetrics' platform offers an updated view of the power grid in five-minute intervals, down to a "projection plane" comprised of unique square kilometer units.

The platform can tell if the power state is nominal, if there's an outage or if the power grid is in a high- or low-voltage state. If there's an outage, the platform can also determine the ongoing size and scope of it.

Outside the granular, localized data it provides to customers, Gridmetrics has also set up a website that tracks US power outages. Additionally, this example shows how Gridmetrics' platform tracked power outages during the atmospheric river storms that soaked California in February.

(Source: Screencap of Gridmetrics playback of power outages during California storms in February 2024)

Gridmetrics started as an incubation program at CableLabs. "This really all began as a hallway conversation about seven years ago," recalls Caruso, who also heads strategic ventures at Louisville, Colorado-based CableLabs.

Broadband operators, he explains, typically know where power is out before the utilities themselves know. "That just struck a chord with me," he says.

Here's a snapshot of our discussion (for a lightly edited transcript, click the player's closed captioning button):