In response to a New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) request for projects suitable for funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, National Grid is proposing two smart-grid technology demonstration projects in Upstate New York and other investments to modernize and enhance its transmission and distribution system.
In National Grid's filing, the company proposes to build and operate two 40,000-customer smart-grid demonstration projects in the Syracuse area and the Capital District, as well as implement additional reliability enhancements throughout the state.
On April 2, the PSC issued a request to National Grid and other utilities planning to apply to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive grants under the Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (EDER) competitive program within ARRA, to file proposals with the state. Under the program, the DOE may provide grants to successful applicants for up to 50% of the costs of qualifying investments.
The PSC seeks to determine whether the remaining costs of these investments would be reasonable for New York ratepayers. Applications that already contain the secured, non-federal funding portion of investment costs may have an added advantage in the competitive EDER program, the PSC noted.
National Grid's proposal to the PSC involves multiple, shovel-ready projects that are designed to benefit customers, invest in the future energy landscape and improve reliability in the company's vital energy networks. In addition to the smart-grid programs, the proposal contains transmission, sub-transmission and distribution network improvement projects.
SOURCE: National Grid
