Alliant Energy targets federal stimulus money to further Smart Grid efforts

From a news release issued by Alliant Energy:

MADISON, WI – August 5, 2009 – Alliant Energy Corporation’s (NYSE: LNT) Wisconsin Power and Light Company (Alliant Energy) subsidiary will file four American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant applications with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Smart Grid Investment Grant Program. The grants all involve projects connected to Alliant Energy’s implementation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology.

If awarded, the four grants could cover up to half of the projects’ $20 million estimated costs. The grants focus on leveraging and expanding our AMI technology deployment, the foundation for Smart Grid, throughout our service territory. Alliant Energy’s grant applications are for the following projects:

+ Demand Response Pilot: 1,200 residential customers would participate in four different programs evaluating energy-saving Smart Grid technologies such as programmable communicating thermostats and online real-time energy usage tools for customers.
+ Distribution Automation: An investment to make our existing infrastructure more efficient and reduce the need for equipment upgrades.
+ Response Automation: Improve our efficiency in responding to and restoring electric outages.
+ Complex Commercial & Industrial Customer AMI Implementation: Implement AMI technology for a select group of C&I customers currently delayed or out of scope for the AMI 2009 and 2010 rollout.