GLENDALE, California –- Glendale Water & Power's (GWP) application for a $20 million federal Smart Grid Investment Grant was selected today for award negotiations by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Once finalized, the grant will help GWP fund implementation of its Smart Meter project and larger move to the Smart Grid. Smart Meters will allow for two-way communication between customers and the utility, and for the first time will provide customers with real-time usage data to help them conserve energy and water.
“We're very proud to receive this federal funding opportunity to support our initiative to assist our customers in making smarter energy and water use decisions that will translate into savings,” said GWP General Manager Glenn Steiger. “With the Smart Grid and Smart Meters, our customers will be able to conserve more because they know exactly how much they are using and how much money they are spending.”
Glendale's “shovel-ready” Advancing Metering Infrastructure (AMI)-Smart Grid Initiative will install a new AMI-MDMS (Meter Data Management System) for all electric and water customers; increase the efficiency of GWP's distribution grid; and provide customers with access to interval data (i.e. every 15 or 30 minutes) and new energy efficiency, demand response, critical peak pricing, time-of-use and dynamic rate programs.
The Glendale City Council already has approved a request to contract with Itron, Inc. to install its industry-leading OpenWay® AMI system, data collection engine and Itron Enterprise Edition MDMS to support this initiative. Additionally, GWP has assembled a team of AMI industry experts in providing energy efficiency, load management, demand response and new rate programs. Project management and technical support will be provided by KEMA, Inc., a recognized leader in Smart Grid development that has been supporting GWP's Smart Grid efforts since February 2008.
“A successful move to the Smart Grid requires the right implementation, the right technologies and the support of regulators. This project has all three,” said Craig Kuennen, GWP's project sponsor for the AMI-Smart Grid Initiative. “GWP is confident that our AMI-Smart Grid Initiative will serve as a model for others to follow in California and across the nation while helping our customers save energy, lower their bills and benefit the environment.”
The U.S. Department of Energy announced in June the solicitation of applications for $3.9 billion in grants to support efforts to modernize the electric grid as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A briefing with GWP and other selectees will take place in mid-November to address next steps in the grant award process.
About Glendale Water & Power
Glendale Water & Power is the City of Glendale's utility. Glendale Water & Power provides water to 32,500 customers in Glendale, California. The city-owned utility also generates, transmits and distributes electricity to 83,300 residential, commercial and industrial customers. www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com
