TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Suncoast Pasco News

Stimulus grant to help power smart electric meters

ADVERTISEMENT

BY CARL ORTH

SUNCOAST NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

Published: October 31, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - A federal stimulus grant of $200 million announced this week will help charge a smart grid for Progress Energy Florida customers.

As a first step, some 80,000 smart electric meters could begin sprouting up in the region by late 2010 or early 2011, company spokeswoman Cheri Jacobs said Wednesday.
Smart meters allow two-way communication so customers can view and control their energy use. The meters on their own would alert dispatchers to power outages and other problems to speed repairs. Customers won't even have to bother calling about outages.

The utility will split the U.S. Department of Energy grant between its territories in Florida and North Carolina. The company is pitching in another $320 million of its own to help transform its system.

A smart grid would enable the company to control voltage levels and increase efficiency of electricity as it flows through power lines.

The changes promise as well to harness the potential of renewable energy, according to Bill Johnson, Progress Energy chairman, president and CEO, in a press release.
Excess power from solar panels on homes and offices could flow back into the electric grid, for example.

The company also plans to invest some of the federal funds to install infrastructure for plug-in electric vehicles.

The Electric Power Research Institute estimates smart grid technologies nationwide could reduce electricity consumption by more than 4 percent by 2030, for a savings of more than $20 billion for American businesses and consumers.

Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT