Electric transmission

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 10 -- Dominion Virginia Power is working with Virginia Tech to make the "smart grid" smarter by developing and testing innovative technology that will improve the electric grid's efficiency and reliability. This technology, known as "synchrophasors," does this by providing dynamic real-time information about conditions on the transmission grid.

The research project, funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Energy, also involves Quanta Technology of Raleigh, N.C.    » read more »

October 28, 2009 -- The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) enthusiastically supports a new policy announced today by the Administration that will greatly facilitate efforts to access world-class renewable energy resources currently stranded in remote parts of the country. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announced today will streamline the transmission permitting process for federal lands by improving coordination among nine federal agencies and creating timelines to limit delays in the permit approval process.    » read more »

U.S. Department of Energy Awards Salt River Project Competitive Grant Funds

27 October 2009 -- WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama today announced a $3.4 billion investment in Smart Grid technology, the largest single Smart Grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of projects that will ease the nation's transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.

As part of that investment, Tempe-based Salt River Project (SRP) was awarded a $56 million competitive grant to install smart grid technology that will help save money and fuel and ensure that electricity is moved efficiently throughout Arizona and the Western Region. Mitchell, who advocated on behalf of the competitive grant application, welcomed the news of the award.    » read more »

Award will help increase electric reliability, create clean energy jobs

10/28/2009 -- Las Vegas — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the award of $138 million in federal funds to NV Energy for smart grid technology. Matching funds increase the value of this project to $298 million. These funds will help transition an electric distribution system to a smarter, more efficient and reliable electric system, and spur the creation of clean energy jobs across Nevada.    » read more »

Lauds Houston Utilities’ Smart Grid Leadership; Local Companies Awarded Over $250 Million in Smart Grid Grants

October 28, 2009 -- HOUSTON, Texas – Visiting the Energy Capital of the World, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today lauded the advanced power transmission and distribution technology adopted by CenterPoint Energy Houston, a regional utility that received a $200 million federal grant to spur its deployment of a Smart Grid that will improve efficiency and help area consumers manage and control their electricity usage.

Other Texas electric utilities shared about $58 million in Smart Grid grants, including Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC (Houston); Golden Spread Electric Cooperative (Amarillo); Denton County Electric Cooperative; and El Pasco Electric.    » read more »

October 28, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) today announced that the Department of Energy released nearly $15.7 million to Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Fredericksburg for upgrades and improvements to spur Virginia’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system. The funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The funding for Fredericksburg is part of a $3.4 billion clean-energy initiative aimed at creating markets for wind and solar power. The 100 projects selected will be matched by industry funding for a total public-private investment worth over $8 billion.    » read more »

October 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the Navajo Tribal Utility Association will receive a $4.9 million grant to better serve its 38,000 customers.

The funding, which comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will be used to install a “smart grid” network and data management system that will quickly identify system outages.

“This is an important investment in the Navajo Nation – one that will result in better service to the Navajo Nation Utility Association’s nearly 40,000 customers,” Bingaman said. “At the same time, this grant will help create good jobs in the area.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- BOSTON – Senators John Kerry and Paul Kirk today announced that six Massachusetts communities and companies will receive a total of $35,778,357 in Recovery Act funding for investments in Smart Grid technologies. The funding aims to ease the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.

“These investments will make our electricity delivery system more efficient, give us more control over power surges and reduce the amount of energy we use,” said Sen. Kerry. “I’m grateful that the Obama Administration recognizes the benefits of investing in these projects.”    » read more »

Meeting With Energy Secretary Helped Make Vermont’s Case

WASHINGTON -- Oct. 27 -- The Vermont Congressional Delegation – Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and Representative Peter Welch (D) – announced Tuesday morning that Vermont Transco, LLC, will receive $68,928,650 in federal support to launch Vermont’s Smart Grid technology.

The funds are part of $3.4 billion in Smart Grid grants across the nation that President Obama announced today – the largest awards made in a single day from this year’s American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $233,184,232 to four companies in Pennsylvania to invest in Smart Grid Technology. Federal funding is provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“I am pleased that this federal funding has been allocated to energy providers in Pennsylvania to reduce consumer costs and invest in infrastructure,” said Senator Casey. “This funding will allow Pennsylvania to continue to be a leader in conserving energy, increasing efficiency and harnessing innovative, renewable energy sources.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Honolulu will receive $5,347,598 to upgrade its electrical grid as part of an effort to reduce outage times, expand the energy efficient skill sets of employees, and retain jobs Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced today.

"We've all experienced the chaos created by power outages, both big and small, and these funds will help modernize Oahu's aging electrical grid," said Senator Inouye. "These improvements should move us closer to a time when we aren't sitting in the dark very long when the grid goes down."

"This Recovery Act funding will allow Hawaiian Electric to invest in modern electrical grid improvements that will reduce power outages on Oahu while preserving jobs," said Senator Akaka.    » read more »

LONDON - 15 October, 2009 - Europe's transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure is more than 50 years old and in urgent need of an upgrade, especially with the increasing share of electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass. Further, these transmission networks were built without considering the impact of generation from renewable sources, and there is mounting pressure to build new lines as well as upgrade old ones.    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today lauded the final decision filed yesterday by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that effectively kills New York Regional Interconnect's (NYRI) efforts to keep alive its suspended power line proposal.

The FERC decision denied the request submitted by NYRI for reconsideration of the agency's prior decisions that would effectively prevent NYRI from tapping ratepayer subsidies for its massive power line proposal. Hinchey, along with U.S. Reps. Michael A. Arcuri (D-NY) and John Hall (D-NY), had written to the federal agency in July expressing strong opposition to NYRI's rehearing request and reiterating their opposition to the project.    » read more »

Clovis-Area Superstation To Send NM-Produced Renewable Energy to Customers in Other States

Oct. 12, 2009 -- SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that New Mexico will be home to the Tres Amigas Super Station, which will connect America’s three main power grids – opening the door to more efficient delivery of renewable energy through the nation’s power transmission infrastructure.

“New Mexico leads the way in green and renewable energy development,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “But we need the ability to send energy produced in New Mexico to surrounding states. Tres Amigas will break that barrier, creating a larger market for our energy.

New Mexico is proud to be chosen as the site for this unique renewable energy market hub."    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar told energy industry officials today that the federal government’s past electric transmission policy has been as fragmented and disjointed as the nation’s outdated power grid and that one of President Obama’s top energy priorities is to speed the development of a 21st Century network to move American energy more cleanly, efficiently and safely around the nation.    » read more »