Glendale Starts Smart Grid Program with Stimulus Funds

Glendale Water & Power will begin this spring a demonstration project of a smart grid system funded by a federal grant. The project will install 1,500 electric and water meters that allow for two-way communication between the customer and the city-owned utility giving real-time electricity usage data that will help save on energy costs. Glendale is the first city in the nation to sign an agreement for a Smart Grid Investment Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The utility is confident its smart grid program will become a model for others to follow in both California and the country, said General Manager Glenn Steiger. The $20 million grant will fund the demonstration project and later add on other functions of the smart grid system, including data storage, Wi-Fi, and thermal energy storage. Thom Senzee