City of Leesburg will Implement GE’s Grid IQ™: Solutions as a Service Offering, an Integrated Grid Modernization Solution Specifically Designed for Small to Mid-Sized Utilities
LEESBURG, Fla. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — December 19, 2011 — The city of Leesburg is modernizing the city’s electric grid with advanced technologies designed to power 21st century economic growth, increase energy efficiency, improve power reliability and empower its consumers. GE’s (NYSE: GE) Grid IQ™: Solutions as a Service offering, an integrated grid modernization solution specifically designed for small to mid-sized utilities, will enable the city to expand its current capabilities to deliver an array of energy services to better meet residents’ energy needs.
These expanded capabilities offer new services and benefits for the residents of Leesburg:
- Access to more energy usage information
- Pre-payment options to better understand and control energy usage
- Online portal access to an array of information, including home energy usage, patterns and billing
- Faster response to power outages
- Automated meter reading
“We’re excited to bring advanced technologies to our electric grid and be a shining example throughout the United States,” said Paul Kalv, electric director and chief smart grid systems architect, city of Leesburg. “Digital technology is driving energy demand, and we want to offer our residents more efficient, reliable and sustainable electricity. The usage data we collect from the smart meters, combined with the secure online portals we’ll offer our residents, will give consumers information to help them better manage their energy usage and costs.”
For the city of Leesburg, GE’s offering will include an advanced metering infrastructure network, which will allow the city to wirelessly transmit metering data from residents’ homes to the utility; a meter data management system, which will store the vast amounts of data that will now be available through the metering infrastructure; and a demand response optimization system, which will allow the city to better manage its electricity loads, especially during peak times in Leesburg (3-6 p.m.). As the technology provider, GE will be responsible for managing and maintaining the applications for the city of Leesburg at its data center. However, Leesburg will continue to own the data and manage its operations.
The city will begin deploying the first phase of technology during the spring of 2012, with Leesburg’s 24,000 customers expected to begin receiving some of the new services in the latter part of 2012. The entire project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2013.
“GE designed our Grid IQ™: Solutions as a Service offering specifically to meet the needs of community-owned utilities, like Leesburg,” said Mike Carlson, general manager, smart grid solutions for GE’s Digital Energy business. “We understand these types of utilities face the same challenges as the rest of the world with rising costs, an aging infrastructure and environmental concerns—and need options that can help them solve these challenges efficiently and quickly. We are excited to offer this new technology solution for small to mid-sized utilities, and we commend the city of Leesburg for embracing advanced technology to more efficiently meet its consumers’ growing energy needs.”
Last month, the city of Norcross, Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) and GE announced the first Grid IQ™: Solutions as a Service project. GE’s Grid IQ™: Solutions as a Service offering features three different delivery models: implemented solutions, GE-hosted data service and service-based offerings, all of which can include advanced metering infrastructure, meter data management systems, demand response management system, geospatial information services and outage management system. The solution also will integrate with existing utility systems, such as customer information systems, integrated voice response and customer billing. For more information, please visit www.gedigitalenergy.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
GE also serves the energy sector by providing technology and service solutions that are based on a commitment to quality and innovation. The company continues to invest in new technology solutions and grow through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its local presence and better serve customers around the world. The businesses that comprise GE Energy—GE Power & Water, GE Energy Management and GE Oil & Gas—work together with more than 100,000 global employees and 2010 revenues of $38 billion, to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; as well as other alternative fuels and new grid modernization technologies to meet 21st century energy needs.
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