More utility smart grid news

Glancing through the paper this morning, I came across an interesting article regarding Xcel Energy's new smart grid initiative:

Xcel Energy Inc. plans to roll out "smart grid" technology in Boulder, Colo., in coming months that will give residents a chance to test sophisticated equipment for monitoring and adjusting how much electricity they use, even from remote locations...

...The utility also intends to install equipment upstream of consumers, on its energy-delivery system, such as in substations, that will boost grid intelligence and reliability, squeezing out some of the inefficiencies that push up costs.

Some of the details are worth focusing on:

• Xcel isn't waiting for regulator approval to recover costs, assuming that cost savings and benefits will prove its case
• 25,000 installations up front over the next year, with an option for the other 25,000 homes in Boulder
• The meters will allow for dynamic, time of use pricing and remote access
  
• Project costs $100 million, with several partners participating

The project was originally reported back in January (one of the perks of not posting in two months is that I can easily find January news stories).

There was a great study on a Seattle smart grid project (found here) a couple months back that lays out a lot of the challenges and opportunities in these projects.

I anticipate posting a lot more of these smart-grid related stories throughout the year.