Duke Energy and Cisco Systems partner for smart grid development
Cisco will work together with Duke Energy to rapidly convert its current electricity delivery network into a true smart grid. Image courtesy of Duke Energy Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc.Duke Energy and Cisco Systems announced June 9 that they have signed a 3-year partnership to fast-track the development of Duke Energy’s smart grid.
Cisco will work together with Duke Energy to rapidly convert its current electricity delivery network into a true smart grid. Cisco will be installing a two-way digital communication system to reduce energy usage, improve efficiency, bolster system reliability, detect power outages, and integrate renewable energy sources such as solar and wind into the electric grid. The smart grid platform will be based on internet protocol-based open standards, which enable future communications technology to be added as they emerge. A variety of hardware and software will be tested and added by the two companies to the electricity grid.
Additionally, the two companies will be working together for external devices. New home energy management devices to be used by customers in their homes will be co-developed. They will also together test weather-proof communications devices to be used in Duke Energy’s electric substations.
“Our goal is to rapidly transform the way electricity is delivered to, and used by, the 11 million people we serve in five states,” said Duke Energy senior vice president for smart grid and customer systems Todd Arnold. The company is planning a five-year mass deployment of smart grid technology in Ohio later this year, with more than 700,000 electric smart meters and 450,000 natural gas smart meters being rolled out. In Indiana, the company is seeking approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to install about 800,000 smart meters. Duke Energy will also be installing a large amount of distribution automation hardware and software throughout both Ohio and Indiana. The company will also start the groundwork for smart grid technology in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is one of the largest electrical power companies in the US with a customer base of 4 million. The company has about 35,000 MW of electrical generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. Duke Energy also has more than 4,000 MW of electric generation in Latin America, and is a joint venture partner of a US real estate company. The Fortune 500 company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and is listed on the NYSE under symbol DUK.
Cisco Systems is a world leader in networking on the internet. Cisco uses hardware, software, and service offerings to create internet-based solutions to increase productivity across individuals, businesses, and entire countries. The company’s work on smart grid solutions is based on secure, standards-based-Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure. Cisco Systems is based in San Francisco, California. The company is listed on the NASDAQ as CSCO.
-
Mike R. Lopez
Sources: