The Smart Grid Investment Grant Program (SGIG) is providing projects across the U.S. with more than $3.7 billion to improve infrastructure right now, and seven of those projects are receiving $200 million. From Delaware to California, companies such as CenterPoint Energy and Duke Energy are putting dollars to work to provide advanced metering solutions, better distribution capabilities and much more.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy released a progress report outlining where the SGIG program's money is going and where individual projects are taking place. Utility Dive looked over that report and picked out the ten biggest recipients of federal funding on the list. Here are those projects along with who got the money and what they are doing:
1. FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
Project: Energy Smart Florida
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: FPL is working to provide two-way communication for its three million customers with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments. Synchrophasor and line monitoring devices are also being used in the $578 million project to upgrade transmission systems as security and reliability are improved.
2. PROGRESS ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY
Project: Optimized Energy Value Chain
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: This project, which is spread across Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina at a total cost of $520 million is geared toward reducing peak loads and overall energy use by leveraging advanced metering and distribution automation to help customers understand their habits and activity. Advanced transmission systems and 600 electric vehicle charging stations are also part of the larger plan.
3. DUKE ENERGY BUSINESS SERVICES LLC
Project: Duke Energy Smart Grid Deployment
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: Duke's $688 million smart grid program kicked off in 2008 with the goal of updating its services in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. AMI and distribution automation systems are part of the mix in all five states. Duke is also introducing pilot pricing programs that use peak-time rebates and critical-peak pricing.
4. BALTIMORE GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
Project: Smart Grid Project
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: BGE's $451 million worth of smart grid goals include replacing or upgrading 1.25 million electric meters and implementing a customer Web portal, as well as a load control program and billing system. The load control program will offer rebates to customers to enable cycling of central air conditioners and electric hot water heaters.
5. PECO ENERGY COMPANY
Project: Smart Future Greater Philadelphia
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: $415 million is going into PECO's work to improve metering and distribution automation for Philadelphia ratepayers. Ultimately, the company wants to reduce energy loss and offer customers in-home options for managing their energy use.
6. CENTERPOINT ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC
Project: Smart Grid Project
Federal funding: $200 million
What they are doing: CPE's $639 million Texas smart grid operation is deploying AMI and Web portal access for more than 2.2 million customers. Highlights include secure communications solutions for allowing customers to see their own energy data via the Smart Meter Texas data exchange, as well as new billing and service options. CPE hopes to see improved reliability and reduced operational and maintenance costs as a result.
7. SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
Project: Smart Grid Project
Federal funding: $164, 527,160
What they are doing: Southern Company's smart grid efforts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi come with a $330 million price tag. New distribution automation equipment will be used to increase reliability as as the company works to reduce line losses and upgrade substations and lower operational costs.
8. NV ENERGY, INC.
Project: NV ENERGIZE
Federal funding: $137,877,906
What they are doing: NV's $275 million plan includes smart meter deployments for residential and commercial customers in Nevada. A new meter data management system and advanced demand response management system will help the utility to improve its customer service and overall operations management.
9. CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC.
Project: Smart Grid Deployment Project
Federal funding: $136,170,899
What they are doing: Con Ed's smart grid improvements in New Jersey and New York are projected to cost a total of about $272 million. Like other utilities, Con Ed wants to lower costs and improve efficiency. Their list of upgrades includes distribution automation equipment and capacitor automation devices on 850 circuit lines, which will work with distribution management systems and supervisory control and data acquisition systems to make services more reliable.
10. OKLAHOMA GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
Project: Positive Energy Smart Grid Integration Program
Federal funding: $130,000,000
What they are doing: OG&E's $357 million program in Arkansas and Oklahoma aims to get advanced metering to the homes of 6,000 customers as part of a plan to reduce peak loads and overall electricity use. Customers will be able to view their usage data, and OG&E will be able to better manage, measure and verify demand reductions.
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