Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Energy announced that the City of Naperville would receive a $10,994,000 grant to deploy smart grid technologies, designed to improve the efficiency of electric systems, reduce utility costs, and speed the adoption of renewable energy sources:
 
            “Whether it’s the green fuels depot or smart grid technology, Naperville is leading the charge when it comes to deploying the next generation of energy infrastructure.  This project will not only help save consumers money on their electricity bills, it lays the groundwork for the adoption of more advanced energy technologies down the road, like ‘smart’ charging plug-in hybrid vehicles and expanded use of renewable energy.  I am very pleased that Naperville was selected to pioneer this effort, and I look forward to continuing my work to bring these types of smart, green energy solutions out of the laboratory and into our communities where they can benefit consumers and help build the economy.”
 
Editor’s Note:
On August 6, 2009, Biggert, a senior member of the House Science and Technology Committee and Co-Chair of the House Research and Development Caucus, authored a letter to Energy Secretary Chu, available here, endorsing the City of Naperville’s grant application.  According to the DOE, today’s smart grid grant will allow the City of Naperville to “deploy more than 57,000 smart meters and install the infrastructure and software necessary to support and integrate various smart grid functions and the two-way flow of information between the utility and customers.”
 
Federal efforts to develop and deploy smart grid technologies were first authorized in the Energy Independence and Security Act, a bill Biggert supported in 2007.  For more information about the smart grid initiative or today’s grant announcement, visit: http://www.energy.gov/news2009/8216.htm.

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