AREVA aligns with Microsoft for smarter grid solutions

BETHESDA, MARYLAND - AREVA's Transmission and Distribution (T&D) division announced the extension of its three-year long collaboration with Microsoft to include the development of Smarter Grid Management solutions to help the worldwide power industry efficiently and reliably fulfill the future global demand for power.

AREVA and Microsoft's joint efforts have already led to the delivery of key capabilities to AREVA customers. Through this new agreement, both companies will work together towards improving cyber security and integration of AREVA's applications with Microsoft Office tools and enterprise business processes. AREVA's T&D division sees Microsoft technology as a strategic facilitator for the development and deployment of smart grid solutions.

AREVA's T&D Automation division is a recognized leader in the Smart Grid application field with multiple solutions already in use by major utilities worldwide and a number one position in Energy Management Systems, in numerous regions including North America, India, and the Middle East. The company's initiatives in the smart grid arena are delivering tools and applications for smarter dispatch, integrated distribution management, and demand response. As a result, power companies will see fewer, shorter outages, and shorter service restoration times.

New Smarter Grid capabilities will include the ability to manage distributed generation and a variety of renewable sources of energy. AREVA demonstrated an Integrated Distribution Management solution based on the Microsoft platform in major exhibitions in India and the US (GridTech and DistribuTECH), earlier this year.

"The combination of AREVA and Microsoft technologies will help utilities address the need to better manage the growing around-the-clock global demand for energy," said Brian Scott, Vice President, Microsoft Worldwide Industry. "We share a vision of the innovation needed to create the smart energy ecosystem that will enhance both transmission and distribution grid management and improve operational efficiency across the utility value chain."

"The AREVA Smarter Grid solution will help transform the current structure of the electric grid into a more intelligent system that is reliable, stable and energy-efficient. Partnering with Microsoft, and indeed integrating their best-in-class platform into the heart of our offer, is a key element of our effort to make smarter grids a reality," said Jean-Michel Cornille, Executive Vice President, AREVA T&D Automation.