Congresswoman Matsui and SMUD Celebrate Smart Meter Installation Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
CONTACT: ALANA JUTEAU
(202) 225-7163
Congresswoman Matsui and SMUD Celebrate Smart Meter Installation Program
Over 600,000 Smart Meters Installed Free of Charge to Customers Thanks to Recovery Act
CA - Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) joined representatives from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to celebrate the successful installation of more than 600,000 smart meters in local homes and businesses. The smart meter installations were made possible thanks to a $127.5 million Smart Grid Investment Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, a grant program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Smart Grid Investment Grant has helped SMUD fund the meter installations and begin developing a regional smart grid. The smart grid will be a comprehensive upgrade to the electric grid that will provide two-way communication with customers, help identify power outages more quickly, improve reliability, and save energy.
"Through the successful installation of over 600,000 smart meters, SMUD has, once again, proven itself as a leader in advancing new technologies that promote energy efficiency," said Congresswoman Matsui. "Since Thomas Edison first pioneered the basis for the electric grid over a century ago, there have been very few upgrades made to the grid. These smart meters are just the beginning of a new smart grid system that will be more efficient, more reliable, and better for consumers."
In fact, the meters will provide immediate benefits for consumers. Customers can now see their electricity usage online, and control it remotely. Meters are now read automatically, meaning that meter readers won't need to visit customers' property each month.
"The smart meters and the smart grid will revolutionize the way we use energy in our lives in a very productive way," said John DiStasio, SMUD General Manager and CEO. "SMUD customers will be able to better gauge how they use electricity to better manage their usage, bill and comfort according to their needs."
"Across America, Recovery Act funding is helping municipal utilities and others accelerate the modernization of the Nation's grid by adding numerous advanced technologies, including approximately 15.5 million smart meters, that are designed to improve the reliability and resiliency of the flow of electricity nationwide," said Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability for the U.S. Department of Energy. "We are pleased to see recipients of the Department of Energy's Smart Grid Investment Grants helping consumers and businesses make more informed decisions about their energy use through the installation of these smart meters."
For more information on Congresswoman Matsui's work on energy efficiency, visit matsui.house.gov. For more information on SMUD, visit smud.org.
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