On July 16, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) issued a new policy statement that provides "guidance regarding the development of a smart grid for the nation's electric transmission system, focusing on the development of key standards to achieve interoperability and functionality of smart grid systems and devices."
The National Institute of Standards (NIST) is working closely with FERC, the Department of Energy, state regulatory commissions, and many other organizations on development of interoperability standards for the smart grid.
A FERC news release describing the policy is available at: http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2009/2009-3/07-16-09-E-3.asp
The full text of the new FERC policy is available at: http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/comm-meet/2009/071609/E-3.pdf