The move represents the first phase of a plan that would develop smart grids across Oahu, in Maui County and on Hawaii Island by 2018, and covers customers in Moanalua Valley and portions of Pearl City, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, Kahala and Waikiki.
Executed in collaboration with Silver Spring Networks, the program calls for integration wireless communications relays, sensors, automated system controls, as well as advanced meters into the existing electric grid to help improve outage detection and outage restoration.
Hawaiian Electric operations senior vice president Dan Giovanni said the company continues to modernize the electric system to provide a solid foundation for the community’s energy future.
"Our state needs modern electric grids to further improve service, provide customers with more choices, and integrate more low-cost renewable energy to reduce Hawaii’s dependency on expensive imported oil," Giovanni added.
Silver Spring Networks chairman, president and CEO Scott Lang said, "By implementing an intelligent network that can enable multiple solutions, Hawaiian Electric is making the right business investments to provide its customers cleaner energy, greater savings, and the ability to better manage their energy use today."
Installation of the smart grid communications infrastructure, including new meters, in the initial areas is scheduled to run from mid-April to the end of July 2014.
