Baltimore Gas and Electric Company files smart grid plan with Maryland Public Service Commission

14 July 2009

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company has filed a smart grid initiative with the Maryland Public Service Commission, including the planned installation of 2 million residential and commercial smart meters.

In a comprehensive pilot programme that began in 2008, smart meters and a new pricing plan proved that customers can reduce peak electricity usage by about a third and reduce costs considerably.

‘This landmark proposal is one of the most ambitious of its kind nationwide,’ said Kenneth DeFontes, president and CEO of BGE. ‘Our smart grid initiative includes a host of transformational programmes and energy management tools that have the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our customers and the communities we serve in Maryland. This potential capital investment would improve system reliability and, most importantly, help customers conserve energy and lower their energy bills.’

The first phase of BGE’s Smart Grid proposal would be the installation of 2 million advanced electric and gas meters, operating through a utility-to-customer, two-way communications network, which forms the foundation for an automated, digital intelligent grid. The utility is also planning to roll out a new smart energy pricing programme as its standard rate schedule, which would pay customers rebates for reducing power consumption during peak periods.

‘The programme we’ve developed is essential to addressing the long-term energy and environmental objectives of the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2008, which calls for a statewide reduction of 15 per cent in per capita electricity usage and peak demand by 2015,’ added DeFontes. ‘Smart Grid is the foundation from which we can build a more efficient and sustainable energy network in Maryland. It enables large-scale penetration of renewable energy sources and allows us to begin the testing and research necessary to support next-generation transportation innovations, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.’

BGE, headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and electric utility, delivering power to 1.2 million electric customers and more than 640,000 natural gas customers in Central Maryland.

Copyright © 2009 NewNet

Tags: energy storage, smart grid

This story was published on Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 4:52 pm and is filed under North America, companies, energy storage. You can follow any responses to article entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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