Metering.com 25 AUGUST 2016
In the US, power utility Georgia Power announced that it has improved its customer service with its investments in smart grid technologies.
In a press statement, the firm serving 2.5 million customers in 159 counties in Georgia state, highlighted how smart grid technologies have enhanced its operations and helped ensure grid reliability and enhanced management.
This year alone, the company has leveraged its smart grid investments to avoid over 280,000 hours of potential outages.
The solution includes automated metering infrastructure and automatic fault location, isolation and service restoration providing Georgia Power with real time insights on how the network is operating.
Benefits of smart grid technologies
The systems help the utility company to quickly detect grid failures, pin point its location and allocate crews for restoration of power.
Apart from the two systems, the utility has installed more than 715 self-healing circuits to help the grid remotely restore power in case of outages. [FPL installs smart grid switches to address outages].
Leslie Sibert, vice president of distribution for Georgia Power, said: “We understand that when the power is out, every minute counts for our customers.”
In addition to new smart grid solutions, the firm has in the past five years invested more than $1 billion towards upgrading its grid assets to modernise its infrastructure and improve its cyber and physical security.
“The investments we’ve made in our system are helping us fulfill our commitment to our customers to minimize outages, while keeping our rates as low as possible,” reiterated Sibert.
Energy tariffs
In mid April, following a vote by the members of the Georgia Public Service Commission, Georgia Power announced that its base electric rates will remain flat through to 2019.
According to a release, the decision to keep electricity rates flat added to a net reduction of approximately $2.50 in the overall monthly bill for the typical residential customer primarily driven by a 14% decrease in the fuel rate.
The reduction in overall spend by utility customers , prompted by the Georgia Power, began on the 1st of January 2016.
The state utility noted that it traditionally files a base electric rate case with the Georgia Public Service Commission, every three years, to consider new and existing costs to provide reliable electric service to its customers.
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