Rep. Matsui Announces $127 Million Recovery Dollars for Sacramento Smart Grid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

CONTACT: Mara Lee

(202) 225-7163

Rep. Matsui Announces $127 Million Recovery Dollars for Sacramento Smart Grid

Money Sets Sacramento Ahead of National Investment in Smart Grid Technology

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) announced $127 million in stimulus funding for a local smart grid energy project, a joint venture between the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), California Department of General Services, and the Los Rios Community College District to expand Sacramento's comprehensive regional smart grid implementation. The grants have been made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), supported by Congresswoman Matsui earlier this year, and are an integral part of a national effort announced by President Obama today to build a nationwide smart electricity grid that will reduce costs for consumers, make the electricity grid more efficient and reliable, and increase accessibility to clean, low-cost renewable energy sources.

"Today's announcement could not come at a more timely point in recent history," said Rep. Matsui. "SMUD's work in the Sacramento region has brought our community to the forefront of alternative energy and these stimulus dollars will serve to propel that momentum. This project is a result of a wonderful partnership between SMUD, Sac State, the California Department of General Services, and the Los Rios Community College District, and will provide our local business with the additional funds they need to ensure we are continuing on the path to energy efficiency and cleaner, lower emissions."

The $127,506,261 million announced today will allow SMUD to install a comprehensive regional smart grid system to serve the Sacramento community from transmission to the customer. The updates to be completed include 600,000 smart meters as well as 50,000 demand response controls including; programmable smart thermostats, home energy management systems to allow homes and businesses to monitor their usage more closely and engage in energy saving techniques. SMUD will also be able to install 100 electric vehicle charging stations in the Sacramento region as part of this grant.

"We are very excited about this opportunity," said SMUD General Manager and CEO John DiStasio. "The fact that the Department of Energy plans to fully fund our request is the strongest possible validation of the proposal we put together with our partners in this project. The whole Sacramento region will benefit from these funds as we move toward a more intelligent and more efficient energy future."

"Sacramento State is home to the California Smart Grid Center and a proud partner with Rep. Matsui and SMUD to spark innovation and educate the next generation of workers in the clean energy sector," stated Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez. "This grant will help make Sacramento State a truly 'smart campus' by modernizing approximately 50 of our buildings. It will also leverage the talents of our University's students and faculty and strengthen the Sacramento region's position at the cutting edge of technology."

Congresswoman Matsui submitted a letter on July 24, 2009 to the Department of Energy expressing her support for SMUD to win this grant, and highlighted their history of pursuing green alternatives to traditional energy sources. She wrote, "Provisions of the [ARRA] would help SMUD and its partners install automated meters and reduce the demand for electricity, particularly during peak hours of usage."

Rep. Matsui has advocated on behalf of smart grid technology on both the House floor and with her work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, specifically during the recent mark-up of H.R. 2454, America's Clean and Secure Energy Act. This morning she participated in a Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing advocating for additional protections of the electric grid, where Mr. DiStatsio also testified.

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