Paul J. Evanson, Chairman & CEO, Allegheny Power

Greensburg, PA, U.S.A --- (METERING.COM) --- September 3, 2008 – Allegheny Energy subsidiary, Allegheny Power, is to deploy advanced utility infrastructure (AUI) projects that will help identify new technologies for the nation’s electricity grid.

The projects have the potential to move beyond technologies such as smart meters to advance communication and network control, linking customers’ equipment and appliances with utility infrastructure.  ‘The ideal outcome will be a system that reduces peak power consumption, enables real-time pricing options, improves system efficiency and enhances service reliability,’ the utility said in a statement.

“These projects will aid us in evaluating the mutual benefits advanced infrastructure holds for the utility and its customers,” said Chairman and CEO of Allegheny Power, Paul J. Evanson. “Potentially, customers could benefit through improved service and enhanced systems to manage their energy use and reduce costs, and the utility could benefit from better system performance.”

The AUI projects are:

Research Ridge Project, a demonstration project on linking a network to customer equipment and to the distribution network, in order to optimize energy consumption.  The project will be focused on a six building office park in Morgantown W.Va.

West Virginia Super Circuit is one of nine U.S. department of energy (DOE) demonstration projects.   It will focus on improved performance and reliability for 2 300 customers in Morgantown, and will evaluate advance system monitoring integration and control, along with distributed generation resources.

Modern Grid is a DOE-sponsored field test for isolating system faults and restoring electricity service without manual intervention.

The projects are complimentary to Allegheny’s demand side management programs which are already offered to commercial and industrial customers such as the economic load response program, which offers financial incentives for load reduction during peak demand periods and the interruptible load resource program, which rewards customers for reducing load during system emergencies.

Allegheny is working with technology partner, Augusta Systems on the AUI projects and subsequent evaluation of results.