FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jeff Harrell - Spirae
970-484-8259
info@spirae.com
Spirae to Participate in Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project
Fort Collins, Colorado – November 24, 2009: Spirae, based in Fort Collins, CO, is pleased to announce its
participation in the Northwest regional smart grid demonstration project in collaboration with a number
of utilities, energy providers, vendors, and research organizations. This project is one of 16 regional
demonstration projects announced recently by DOE (http://www.energy.gov/news2009/8305.htm).
Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division is the primary awardee of the Northwest Smart
Grid Demonstration project that spans five states, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming,
affecting more than 60,000 metered customers. Using smart grid technologies, the study will test new
combinations of devices, software and advanced analytical tools that enhance the power grid’s
reliability and performance. Total estimated cost for the project is about $178 million and the DOE will
provide half the funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project’s
participants, primarily utilities and industry partners will provide the remaining funds.
Spirae will be participating directly with a number of utilities throughout the northwest region. Test
sites and utilities where Spirae’s solutions will be deployed include: Pullman, WA with Avista Utilities;
Airway Heights, WA with Inland Power and Light Company; University of Washington with Seattle City
Light; and NW Montana with Flathead Electric Cooperative. Spirae’s participation in the smart grid
demonstration project will focus on managing diverse forms of distributed energy resources and
demand management deployed throughout the power systems that serve the participating test sites.
Spirae’s solutions will provide advanced modeling and simulation capabilities and intelligent control of
distribution systems augmented with various smart grid technologies.
“Spirae is very excited about participating in this innovative project which will demonstrate how smart
grid technologies and distributed energy resources can be deployed on a large scale to improve the
reliability and efficiency of the power system,” said Sunil Cherian, CEO and Founder of Spirae.
This project capitalizes on Spirae’s expertise and field tested solutions in several of the leading smart
grid and distributed energy integration activities in the US and Europe. Spirae is the lead contractor for
the “Cell Controller Project” in Denmark for Energinet.dk, the Danish transmission system operator.
Denmark receives approximately 25% of its energy from wind generation, and leverages significant
amounts of smaller, distributed combined heat and power plants. The Cell Controller project
demonstrates an innovative grid management system for actively managing distribution networks with
large amounts of distributed energy resources adding dynamic capabilities such as virtual power plant
operations, renewables firming, power flow control, and microgrid operations. This solution was
successfully field tested in October of 2008. Spirae is also the technical lead in a DOE funded
demonstration project being conducted in Fort Collins which focuses on peak load management with a
diverse array of renewable and distributed energy resources and controllable loads at participating
customer sites.
About Spirae:
Spirae, based in Fort Collins, CO, provides control and analysis solutions to the utility industry for
managing large quantities of distributed energy resources on the power system. Distributed energy
resources can take many forms, including wind generation, solar photovoltaic, electric vehicles,
controllable loads, and smaller conventional generation located at consumer sites. Spirae’s simulation
and control solutions are designed to facilitate maximum contribution and participation from these
resources while maintaining reliable and efficient operation of the power system. Spirae also co-owns
and operates the InteGrid Test and Development Lab in collaboration with Colorado State University for
the purposes of advanced grid simulation and research. For more information about Spirae, please visit
www.spirae.com and www.integridlab.com