October 27, 2009
"Smart Grid" projects being funded in New England
(NECN) - Here is a list of New England projects being funded as part of the $3.4 billion in "smart grid" upgrades announced by President Obama Tuesday. Typically "smart meters" are home or business electric meters that can show customers the current real-time price of electricity in spot markets so they see more clearly their financial incentive to conserve power at times such as hot summer afternoons or cold winter evenings when wholesale electric prices soar. In addition to these, $3.7 million is being provided to the operator of the six-state electric grid, Independent System Operator New England, for "syncrophasors" speeding response to grid-wide disturbances.
CONNECTICUT:
• $9.2 million to Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative for regional smart meter network infrastructure for 5 municipal utilities and 13,000+ customers.
MAINE:
• $95.9 million to Central Maine Power Co. for smart meter network serving all 650,000 CMP residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
MASSACHUSETTS:
• $11.4 million to Honeywell International Inc. of Danvers to automate real-time electric pricing data for 700 commercial and industrial customers.
• $10.1 million to NStar for "self-healing" technology to repair NStar grid during blackouts.
• $8.5 million to Danvers for 12,0000 smart meters for all town electric customers.
• $1.4 million to Marblehead Municipal Light Department for 10,000 smart meters and real-time pricing trial.
• $800,000 to Vineyard Energy Project of West Tisbury for smart-grid technology including support for plug-in hybrid cars and integrating solar and wind energy to the local grid.
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
• $15.8 million to New Hampshire Electric Cooperative for 75,000 advanced meters and microwave and fiber-optic communications links to improve grid operations.
VERMONT:
• $68.9 million to Vermont Transco LLC to increase smart meters from 28,000 to 300,000, install digital energy controls for homeowner appliances, and automate electric distribution and transmission grids.