The operator of Texas’ largest distribution and transmission system said it is looking at some $317 million in stimulus funds for its smart grid program in the US’s second largest state.

Texas utility Oncor said it has formally informed the Department of Energy (DOE) of its intent to apply for the funds under the American Recover and Reinvestment Act, and will officially make the request before the August 6, 2009 deadline.

Oncor’s announcement comes after the DOE’s solicitation last week of smart grid projects that it will provide with as much as a total of $3.9 billion in grants through the stimulus package passed in February, 2009.

Almost two-thirds, or $200 million, of the funds sought for are aimed at Oncor’s Smart Texas advanced metering system program. Under Smart Texas, Oncor plans to install up to 3.4 million advanced meters by 2012. So far, it said it has installed close to 250,000 of the meters, which it said is the largest deployment of its kind in the US.

Oncor said it will also ask for $58 million each for telecommunications and network investments and for the automation of its advanced distribution system. It said these projects, if realized, would result in about 1,600 jobs in 2010 based on data from the Council of Economic Advisers.

Oncor’s “smart grid” program is focused on providing consumers access to information about their electricity use so that they can be encouraged to cut costs.

Under Smart Texas, Oncor plans to make available such features as time-of-use electricity pricing and allow for smart appliances that can tell when power costs are lowest, as well as electric vehicles being fueled by off-peak renewable energy.

“The definition of a smart grid varies from utility to utility, area to area. Oncor believes that a smart grid is end-to-end interactivity,” Oncor chairman and CEO Bob Shapard said.

The smart grid generally refers to the large-scale modernization of the US electricity transmission and distribution system, which will address power wastage and accommodate renewable energy.

Smart meters can provide real time information to customers and utilities regarding energy consumption.


-  Eric Dorente

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Sources:

¹ http://www.oncor.com/news/newsrel/detail.aspx?prid=1206
² http://www.oncor.com/