LUS gets $11 million ‘smart grid’ grant
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LAFAYETTE — Lafayette Utilities System has been awarded an $11.63 million U.S. Department of Energy Smart Grid Investment Grant.
The funding is meant to help LUS install smart meters, infrastructure and software that will allow electric customers to manage their energy use, according to a news release issued Thursday.
LUS was one of 100 entities to be awarded the grant from a pool of 400 entries. The city will be required to match the funding.
The grant is part of $3.4 billion being issued as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, which aims to help utilities companies across the country move toward a stronger, more-reliable electric system grid.
“We believe the presence of LUS Fiber communications capabilities was an important factor in LUS being selected for this grant award.” LUS Director Terry Huval said in the release. Huval said LUS Fiber will enhance the Smart Grid’s effectiveness.
“The integrated system will not only allow LUS’s customers to better monitor and control their energy costs, but also will allow instant communication between LUS and its customers when power outages occur or in the event of emergency situations,” Huval said.
Previously, Huval said LUS could remotely monitor a home’s water meter and send an e-mail or telephone alert to a customer about an unusual spike in usage.
He also envisions LUS having the ability to remotely connect and disconnect customers and to read meters from the central office rather than sending workers out in the field.
He said LUS could also know instantly when a home has lost power and send regular updates to a customer on the progress of repairs.
At some point the grid could allow for “time of use” pricing, where different electric rates are charged at different times of the day, depending on energy demand.
To move forward with the project, LUS must match the federal grant. Lafayette Consolidated Government’s administration, council and utilities officials will soon begin working on securing that funding, the release stated.
Nationwide, projects such as these are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs, save energy and empower consumers to manage their electric bills, according to the release. The program is the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history.
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