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| [October 10, 2012] |
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American Electric Power and Utilidata Announce Agreement to Develop Next Generation of Grid Applications
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --(Business Wire)--
Utilidata, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement
with American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) to inform and advance the next
generation of grid side applications that will be built on Utilidata's
innovative digital technology platform. This unique research and
development agreement between the technology company and leading utility
will accelerate the application of digital control technologies to high
value smart grid solutions. Utilidata has already deployed its existing
AdaptiVolt™ voltage optimization products in a number of AEP territories.
As part of the research and development collaboration, technical and
commercial leaders from AEP will support the product development work
being done at Utilidata's newly commissioned smart grid simulation and
research center in Providence, Rhode Island. The new Utilidata facility
is designed to support the testing of current and future digital control
technologies that will deliver superior Volt/VAR Optimization, Peak
Demand Reduction and Conservation Voltage Reduction in an environment
that can simulate real-world conditions on the electric grid. The
collaborative approach will entail looking at new areas where Digital
Signal Processing (DSP) could improve utility operations, including
fault indication and integration of distributed generation, electric
vehicles on the distribution system.
"We believe that the utility industry has recognized the significant
value and benefit of the application of new distribution automation
technologies to the evolving grid; and their impact on the delivery of
safe, low cost, reliable electric power," said Scott DePasquale,
Utilidata's Executive Chairman. "We are pleased that AEP is providing us
access to their utility operations and planning expertise to guide in
the development of our next generation of grid applications here in
Providence. We believe Utilidata customers will benefit from this
partnership that is focused on bringing innovation to the market faster."
Utilidata is applying Digital Signal Processing (DSP) in profound new
ways to deal with the dynamic operating environment electric utlities
are now facing. This same technology that propelled the growth of
digital photography, digital music and digital communications is now
being brought to bear on solving present and future challenges utilities
are facing. Utilidata's unique approach using DSP to provide measurably
better Volt/VAR Optimization, represented in its AdaptiVolt™ solution,
is the first in a portfolio of solutions that Utilidata is bringing to
market to revolutionize advanced grid management. Volt/VAR Optimization
is one of the most promising areas utilities can create reliable energy
savings before energy ever reaches the customer.
"Having our team provide a utility perspective to the developers and
engineers at Utilidata's innovative smart grid development center in
Providence is the kind of approach that the industry needs to ensure
that the next generation of smart grid products meet the requirements
and standards that large utilities like AEP will need to address grid
challenges over the next decade," said Tom Jobes, Director of
Distribution Reliability Planning & Engineering at AEP. "Having input
and visibility into the functionality of advanced utility automation
applications will allow AEP to prepare our grid for the way our
customers will consume electric energy in the future."
About American Electric Power
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the
United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers
in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of
electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in
the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission
system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt
extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission
systems combined. AEP's transmission system directly or indirectly
serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern
Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38
eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11
percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that
covers much of Texas. AEP's utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP
Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP
Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky
Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric
Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east and north Texas). AEP's
headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. News releases and other information
about AEP can be found at www.aep.com.
About Utilidata
Headquartered in Providence, RI, UtiliData®, Inc. is modernizing the
delivery of electric energy. Utilidata delivers value to utilities and
large energy users by improving operational decisions through the use of
new data extraction and digital processing techniques. Utilidata
believes that Volt/VAR optimization is a powerful and underutilized tool
for utilities to optimize energy efficiencies, creating reliable energy
savings before a kilowatt ever reaches a home or business.
Utilidata's key solution, the AdaptiVolt™,
applies a digital approach to lowering energy consumption, using Digital
Signal Processing across a utility's electric energy delivery
infrastructure. The solution delivers 30-40% greater voltage reduction
and dramatic reduction in tap change operations over traditional voltage
model-base approaches.
For more information, visit www.utilidata.com.

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