Release
GE Energy has reached an agreement with Pepco Holdings, Inc., (PHI) an electric utility that will buy GE’s state-of-the-art smart meters for use in the deployment of its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the state of Delaware, with flexibility to expand usage of the smart meters in other areas of PHI’s service territory.
Smart meters are among the fundamental building blocks of smart grid deployments. They track and report energy usage by time of day, enabling utilities to charge less for electricity used during off-peak hours. As a result, consumers can choose to shift energy-intensive activities to times when rates are lower to save on energy costs.
“Smart meters are the consumer touch-point of the smart grid, giving people real choice in how they spend—and save—their energy dollars,” said Ricardo Cordoba, President Western Europe & North Africa GE Energy Infrastructure. “As government officials move to a new level of energy awareness, it is only fitting that one of America’s original energy companies is part of the solution.”
With a never-ending increase in energy demand, a shortage of new generation sources and concern over climate change, the smart grid is emerging as a valuable tool to deliver more power to consumers without building more power plants. It promises increased efficiencies, a reduction in peak power requirements, and improved integration of renewable energy resources – all helping to slow the demand for new fossil-fuel generation. If U.S. Smart Grid
deployments increase grid efficiency by just 5 percent, it will eliminate the need to build coal-fired power plants.1
“PHI’s vision is to change the relationship we have with our customers,” said Joseph M. Rigby, president and chief executive officer of PHI. “With new digital smart meters and the smart grid, PHI’s utilities will be able to provide up-to-date energy information and tools that will help our customers manage their energy use and costs. PHI is proud to be a leader in the transformation of the electric delivery industry.”
About GE Energy in Europe
GE Energy has over 9,000 employees in Europe, with manufacturing sites for turbines and components in France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Hungary. The Belfort site in France is GE Energy’s European headquarters with over 1,900 employees. Belfort is the worldwide centre of excellence for, and the only producer of, medium- and high-powered gas turbines in France. The sites at Salzberg in Germany and Noblejas in Spain are centres of excellence for the manufacture of new-generation wind turbines. Germany also has one of the GE group’s four research and development centres near Munich. The Jenbacher site in Austria is the world headquarters of the leading manufacturer in the field of alternative gas motors, packaged electricity generators and cogeneration installations for the production of electricity. Many European countries also have sites for the manufacture of spare parts and the supply of services, including Hungary, Italy and Great Britain. GE Energy Europe has a university in Florence in Italy for training its staff and engineering centres in Warsaw in Poland and Moscow in Russia.
About GE Energy in the UK
Headquartered in Bracknell, Berkshire, GE Energy employs 1,500 people in the United Kingdom. GE Energy offers global services to thermal, renewable and nuclear energy applications designed to help utilities, plant operators and manufacturers meet their operational goals and respond to environmental challenges. The United Kingdom is a launch pad for some of GE Energy’s most pioneering technology including gas turbine inlet filtration, oil and gas plant optimisation and control solutions as well as Geospatial Information Systems and pipeline data management software solutions.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and health to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at https://www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.