By Ric Soulen

WINDSOR - Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association has contracted with Landis & Gyr for the installation and deployment of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) on the cooperative’s 3,600 miles of power lines.

The deal was finalized Wednesday at the Poudre Valley REA headquarters near Windsor. The system components are a major part of Poudre Valley’s efforts in moving toward “smart grid” technology. The project will include automated energy monitoring and control capabilities to help achieve greater
efficiency and detect surges and interruptions in the power supply. AMI hardware and software will enable real-time grid diagnostics across the 5,760 square mile PVREA service area.

The total capital investment required will exceed $4.5 million when the project is fully deployed. $750,000 will be expended during phase one in 2009. Poudre Valley REA management expects to have some portions of the AMI system online by third quarter of 2009. Projected completion date for the project is December, 2011.

“The range, flexibility and comprehensive capabilities of the Landis & Gyr advanced, two-way communication network, combining radio frequency (RF) and power line carrier (PLC) technology is an excellent fit for our diverse member needs, varied geographical service area and desire to automate our distribution network,” said Poudre Valley REA CEO Brad Gaskill.

According to the utility, adapting the Poudre Valley REA grid to this new technology will have benefits for consumers in reduced costs and enhanced reliability of the electricity delivery system. The reaction time to outages will be reduced and the efficiencies gained from more effective power
management are projected to result in reduced carbon emissions from electricity generation.

It will also enable remote meter reading. Future applications of smart
grid concepts will allow for development of in-home displays
for monitoring energy use and remote service connection.

Myles Jensen, Poudre Valley’s Member Services Manager, said the
utility’s 14-year relationship with Landis+Gyr was one of the
deciding factors in the selection process.

“Our past experience with Landis+Gyr was a big factor,” Jensen
said. “We had the desire to use proven technologies, and the
ability to visit other utilities and learn from their
experience was also a benefit for us.”

The value of smart grid technology relative to national
security issues was codified in the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 which recognized smart grids are better
able to react to component failures, caused by natural
disasters or acts of sabotage that can lead to widespread
cascading power outages and blackouts.

Poudre Valley REA is a non-profit electric cooperative with
35,000 member/consumers in Boulder, Larimer and Weld counties.