Smart Grid Technology Coming in the Fall

The Concord Municipal Light Plant is embarking on an ambitious plan to install fiber throughout town, in phases, and solicit customers to add centrally-controlled services starting with their thermostats.

Light plant Director Dave Wood said he is reviewing the bids from construction companies to provide the necessary equipment to expand the CMLP services, and encourage conservation at the same time.

Wood said during peak demand, such as extreme heat and humidity, the automated systems could alter the energy use to the home to maximize conservation.

For example, if a central air conditioning system is set to 71 degrees F, and the temperature soars to 95, the Smart Grid system could raise the home's temerature to 74 degrees F for a few hours during peak demand to save money and energy use.

Wood said the installation is bid to divide the town into roughly four sections, starting with the substation on Main Street and Old Road to Nine Acre Corner. He said once a company is selected, with price the main barometer, the work will begin. He is targeting late August to begin.

Wood said the whole town will be able to sign up for Smart Grid technology by June, 2011 if they want.

Once the fiber is in place, meters in the home and the light plant will be able to communicate.

"We will be able to talk to the unit," said Wood. "We could adjust the temperature up or down."

Another possibility is temperature pumps for swimming pools. He said heating pool water is costly. Down the line, there are many applications for Smart Grid technology, Wood said.

In the coming months and years, Wood said he will pilot a lighting control application at the library parking lot on Stow Street.

"It is very poorly lit," said Wood.

He said in the future, perhaps town street lights could be adjusted with Smart Grid to have every other one go off after midnight, or another plan.

Money for the Smart Grid program comes from a 2009 Town Meeting vote that allocated $4.5 million for construction.

"So far, we are under budget," said Wood. "It's been a pleasant surprise. We've been working on this for two and a half years."

Wood and project Manager Keith Ingram are "developing a rate structure," and working out the details before soliciting customers.

"There are a lot of opportunities moving forward with future applications," said Wood.

He said to pay back the 20-year bond for Smart Grid, the rate-payers will see approximately $2 per month added.

"We want to encourage changes in behavior," said Wood. "When you leave a room, turn off the lights. We want to get the word out there about conserving energy."

For more information, see www.concordma.gov and click on the municipal light plant page. There are maps of the sections that will have Smart Grid and more.

For the light plant's Smart Grid page, see http://www.concordma.gov/pages/ConcordMA_LightPlant/smart%20grid.