Chicago utility eyes smart grid
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - Commonwealth Edison said its planned "smart grid" will restore Chicago area consumers' power more quickly when the lights go out.
A consumer's advanced electric meter could report an outage to the utility in an instant and ComEd could notify the customer by call or page when a power event occurs, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The smart grid would feature technology that immediately alerts ComEd when a disruption in power occurs, reroutes power so fewer customers are affected and allows ComEd to begin repairs more quickly, utility officials said.
The grid also provides customers with real-time information so they can make more informed choices about when and how they use electricity, the utility said.
ComEd officials also said the utility wants to install global positioning technology in its repair and maintenance vehicles, enabling a more efficient crew deployment.
The utility said its annual investments for the smart grid could range from $20 million to $250 million between 2008 and 2013.
Related News
Electricity and water do mix: How electric ships are clearing the air on the B.C. coast
TORONTO - The river is running strong and currents are swirling as the 150-metre-long Seaspan Reliant slides gently into place against its steel loading ramp on the shores of B.C.'s silty Fraser River.
The crew hustles to tie up the ship, and then begins offloading dozens of transport trucks that have been brought over from Vancouver Island.
While it looks like many vessels working the B.C. coast, below decks, the ship is very different. The Reliant is a hybrid, partly powered by electricity, the seagoing equivalent of a Toyota Prius.
Down below decks, Sean Puchalski walks past a whirring internal…
