http://www.platts.com/Electric%20Power/News/6504547.xmlAEP, GE Energy team up for smart grid plan in utility territory
Washington (Platts)--4Oct2007
In a comprehensive plan to deploy advanced meters across its entire
utility territory, American Electric Power on Thursday said it has teamed up
with GE Energy to develop enhanced infrastructure and automated control
devices that will reduce demand and improve customers' ability to control
their energy use.
AEP and GE said they had signed a memorandum of understanding and
are working to reach a definitive agreement to develop technology platforms
and programs that they said will transform how electricity is delivered to and
used by consumers. Among the expected enhancements, some of which will require
regulatory approvals, are automated controls on electrical equipment, improved
monitoring and sensing data on transmission and distribution facilities,
time-based rates that will allow customers to respond to price signals,
integration of distributed resources such as small generating systems owned by
the utility or customers, and more than 5 million smart meters for AEP's
entire customer base by the end of 2015.
Financial terms of the arrangement between GE Energy, a subsidiary of
General Electric, or cost projections for the system enhancements were not
provided.
The advanced metering portion of the plan is designed to have about
200,000 smart meters installed by the end of 2008, combined with customized
rate plans, the Columbus, Ohio-based utility said. AEP will select specific
locations for the initial deployment after evaluating sites in its 11 state
service area, but primary criteria will be urban/suburban areas with 50,000 to
100,000 customers.
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