OTTAWA, Ontario - October 14, 2015. To mark the World Standards Day, the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) today released the report entitled “The Importance and Benefits of Standards in the Electric Utility Industry.” It outlines robust recommendations to help strengthen and drive the development of Canadian electric utility standards.
Growing competitive pressures, evolving customer and environmental expectations, aging infrastructure, and rapid technological changes lead to a greater reliance on recognized standards. As well, participation in standards development is crucial to ensure the Canadian electricity industry remains reliable and effectively responds to sector changes.
“All Canadian electric utilities must come together to develop standards that allow the industry to adapt to the changing electricity landscape,” said the Honourable Sergio Marchi, CEA President and Chief Executive Officer. “These recommendations will assist us in our collective work, and ensure consistency in the industry.”
Considering that standards are developed predominantly by international bodies and need to be harmonized for the local electricity industry, the report calls for greater Canadian participation at the international table where global standards are developed.
In addition, the report advocates for increased leadership from the Canadian government to ensure that electric utility standards development becomes a public policy priority.
“It is imperative that Canadian federal and provincial decision makers understand and appreciate the value of standards,” concluded Marchi. “Standards development bodies are the most efficient way to position the Canadian electricity industry well for sector renewal initiatives.”
Click here to access the Importance and Benefits of Standards in the Electric Utility Industry Report.