Alstoms Integrated Distribution Management System Selected for Maui Smart Grid Project

Alstom Grid, the global expert in electrical grid management systems, has been selected to provide its e-terradistribution Integrated Distribution Management System (IDMS) for Maui Electric Companys (MECO) Smart Grid demonstration project (Maui Smart Grid Project). This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and is co-led by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii.

The demonstration project will evaluate how smart grid technologies can help MECO reduce peak demand, improve service quality, inform consumer energy use decisions, and integrate renewable energy.  Some of the technologies tested in the project include advanced metering infrastructure, home area networks, and battery energy storage. Alstoms IDMS suite of smart distribution applications will integrate information from the smart grid network to improve monitoring and control of MECOs distribution system and distributed energy resources (DER). 

"The Maui Smart Grid demonstration project is a critical component to reducing our states dependence on imported oil, integrating more clean energy and improving the service we provide to our customers," said Maui Electric Companys President Ed Reinhardt. "Alstom's IDMS applications will play a significant role in helping our customer volunteers experience first-hand the benefits of a smarter power distribution system. We look forward to having the system up and running, and working with Alstom experts to make this demonstration project a successful best practice for similar initiatives across the country."

Hawaii has set an ambitious goal of generating more than 70% of its electricity from clean and renewable sources by the year 2030, commented Karim El Naggar, Vice President of Alstoms Network Management Solutions business. By deploying new distribution and home automation technologies, MECO will gain hands-on experience in maintaining grid reliability that is invaluable as the state transitions to a cleaner energy future. Alstom is proud of our role in this project in ushering in the era of a smarter and more reliable electric power grid.

Alstoms IDMS suite of smart distribution applications will be deployed to improve grid self-healing, power quality and energy efficiency for enhanced customer satisfaction. The IDMS platform will be integrated with smart grid data to provide MECOs dispatchers with enhanced visibility into their distribution grid operations and control over distributed energy resources.

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About the Maui Smart Grid Project

The Maui Smart Grid Project is evaluating smart grid technologies that can help Maui Electric Company and its customers reduce peak energy demand, improve service quality, inform consumer energy use decisions, and integrate renewable energy.  This demonstration project will utilize distribution circuits in South Maui and up to 200 customer volunteers that can receive in-home smart grid technologies. The project is funded by the US DOE Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration (RDSI) program and is part of a nationwide set of demonstration projects. Data from the Maui project will be compared with results of similar initiatives to inform future smart grid decision making.  For more information on this project, please see www.mauismartgrid.com. 

About Alstom

Alstom is one of the worlds leaders in power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for all thermal (coal, nuclear, gas...) and renewable (hydro, wind, solar...) energy sources. It offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs over 90,000 people in around 100 countries, and had sales of 21 billion in 2010/11.

Alstom Grid has over 100 years of expertise in electrical grids. Whether for utilities or electro-intensive industries or facilitating the trading of energy, Alstom Grid brings power to its customers projects.  Alstom Grid ranks among the top 3 in electrical transmission sector with an annual sales turnover of more than 4 billion. It has 20,000 employees and over 90 manufacturing and engineering sites worldwide. At the heart of the development of Smart Grid, Alstom Grid offers products, services and integrated energy management solutions across the full energy value chainfrom power generation, through transmission and distribution grids and to the large end user.

Press Contact

Adam Pratt (U.S. Media Relations) adam.r.pratt@power.alstom.com, +1-202-351-9322

Alstom Grid delivers the advanced equipment and expertise to power America's smarter, more reliable energy grid.