(From an Article in the Denver Business Journal, Aug. 21, 2008)
Xcel Energy Inc. said Thursday it’s installed 82 miles of fiber-optic cables and the first of 13,000 new electricity meters in Boulder as part of its $100 million SmartGridCity pilot project in Boulder.
The equipment can respond to a power outage by automatically isolating the incident and rerouting power so fewer customers are left in the dark. The trailer also has a web portal that allows customers to pre-set their furnace, air conditioning and lights to save energy. “SmartGridCity is a prime example of how in Colorado we are using new technologies to build the New Energy Economy,” Gov. Ritter said in a statement. “This project is a great example of a public and private partnership between the state, the city of Boulder, Xcel Energy and its partners.” Xcel said the utility and its SmartGridCity technology partners are making significant progress in Boulder. The first so-called “smart” meters have been installed, and are working with two-way communication between the customer and Xcel through the fiber-optic cables.
By the end of 2008, Xcel expects to have more than 13,000 homes with smart meters. By next summer, another 10,000 meters will be available for installation at the customer’s request.
In addition, Xcel said two substations in Boulder have been upgraded with smart technology, which can automatically detect, isolate, and restore electricity load when an outage occurs. This information allows Xcel to cut the impact of outages by predicting them, and thus preventing outages, and technology to reduce their duration.
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