Progress Energy said this morning it is applying for $200 million in federal stimulus funds to help pay for the company's development of Smart Grid technology in the Carolinas and in Florida.
The U.S. Department of Energy is planning to award $4.5 billion in Smart Grid grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A Smart Grid is an electric transmission and distribution system that provides real-time data to the power company and customers on the customer's energy use and on the cost of power generation at any given instant.
The grid would also be designed to recharge electric cars overnight, when power generation is cheapest. And in the future, the grid could be enhanced to buy electricity back from electric vehicles during times of peak demand, essentially using electric cars as mobile batteries.
Raleigh-based Progress is planning to invest $320 million Smart Grid development. If the $200 million federal grant is approved, it would be split between Smart Grid projects in the Carolinas and Florida.
"It will allow our customers ultimately to have more direct control of their energy use and their bill through pricing signals and pre-pay options," said CEO Bill Johnson. "The end result will be improved system efficiencies, energy conservation and a cleaner environment."
Progress is developing the Smart Grid project with IBM and Telvent, a Spanish information technology company.
Progress has 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida, and about 11,000 employees.
John Murawski has been a full-time newspaper reporter since 1991, with stints at Legal Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy (both in Washington, DC), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Palm Beach Post (in South Florida) before arriving at the N&O in December 2004. At the N&O he covers energy (nuclear, coal, renewable, efficiency), hydralic fracturing (or "fracking"), public utilities (both electric and natural gas) and health care. His beat includes Progress Energy, PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PowerSecure International, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Biogen Idec and others. You can reach him at 919-829-8932 or
Comments
.biz - Progress Energy
Sun, 11/08/2009 - 01:52 — stevengagnon32.biz - Progress Energy applies for $200 million grant to develop Smart Grid | newsobserver.com blogs How Grow Taller
How many jobs is this going
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 14:49 — astolphoHow many jobs is this going to create? I think I've heard a number like every $100,000 dollars is supposed to create 1 job, $200,000,000 dollars should create 2000 jobs. Some how I'm doubting that will be the case. If you want to upgrade the utilities grid fine, but this is not a use for stimulous money. I'm not so sure I want them to have all this additional information about when and how I am using energy either. Thats my business, just bill me for what I use.
Progress is only progressing
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 14:16 — robdarichProgress is only progressing Progress towards a future that is firmly based on early 1900's technology. The same technology that is thwarted by a little wind. I suppose it's all well-and-fine if you believe Progress can outsmart wind.
But they can't outsmart mother nature as easily as newpaper readers. So I guess they're progressing nicely - for Progress; the rest of us can pound salt and assume it won't hurt - because it's "Smart" salt.
What a money grab. You will
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:04 — lbeau12What a money grab. You will get charged different rates during the day based on demand and the prices they set for that demand instead of a flat rate for kilowatts used. So they will get a $200 million grant and then be able to get more money from the consumers by charging more. Of course this will be marketed as a good thing for consumers allowing you to know when the rates are lowest so you can choose to use the dryer, dishwahser etc.. saving you money.
Another intrusion on your rights
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:36 — SWMP9MMThe so called smart grid will record your electric power usage even the hours of peak usage on a data base. The data base will be accessed by anyone willing to pay for the privilage including the state and the feds. The smart grid will allow full control of the power you have available in your home. Lets say you purchase a new big screen TV. When you turn on the TV the grid will know something has changed in your home and the additional power is recorded. Based on your prior base usage you could now be fined for using more than your allotment. This has already started in California and now it will come to NC.
It is refreshing to see
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:34 — blackdogIt is refreshing to see progress towards the future rather than away from it.
Self-proclaimed "Smart",
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 10:29 — robdarichSelf-proclaimed "Smart", probably isn't. Why must taxpayers bail-out the lousy distribution system? It's not like we don't pay for it over and over anyway. (I think the current billing cycle is "Monthly", but we're pushing to bill by the nanosecond.)
Shouldn't "Smart Progress" just be all pompous about their network (perhaps even showing crowds of support personnel like so many phone companies...) so when their lame-o system buckles, we can wonder why these jokers are in business?
I thought that was the plan, but I still don't like paying for it multiple times. If they want tax breaks, they can just "Plan" something and NC will fork taxpayers for that too. When do these greedy btards take a break? Do they breath out slits behind their ears? How many holes are in their head?