CURRENT® Announces the Successful Deployment of Volt/VAR
Control in Xcel Energy’s SmartGridCity™
Washington, DC – September 22, 2009 – CURRENT Group announced today the deployment of its
industry-leading Volt/VAR Control solution with Xcel Energy as part of the SmartGridCity™ project in
Boulder, Colorado. The Volt/VAR Control solution is part of the CURRENT System Optimization
software application suite and operates on the CURRENT OpenGrid™ platform.
Volt/VAR technology, designed to reduce energy consumption through the regulation and
management of voltages and VARs, enables utilities to minimize losses on the electric grid, reduce
carbon emissions and use fuel more efficiently. Emerging trends in distributed generation, renewable
portfolio standards and energy efficiency targets create heightened system balance complexity and
increase stress on the grid. These conditions require maximum visibility and control of the
distribution system through intelligent automation technologies. Xcel Energy, a leader in applying
technology innovation, is utilizing CURRENT’s dynamic Volt/VAR solution in SmartGridCity to monitor
grid conditions in real-time in order to minimize the impact of VARs across the distribution
system.“Xcel Energy looks forward to continuing to work with CURRENT Group to meet our goals of
more efficient power delivery and grid reliability,” said Xcel Energy Program Delivery Executive,
SmartGridCity Randy Huston. “In today’s environment, having visibility and control of grid volatility is
a key requirement for the integration of intermittent renewables and distributed generation.”
"CURRENT Group is committed to providing state-of-the art system optimization solutions that deliver
tangible ROI for our customers. Our Volt/VAR Control solution enables utilities to monitor real-time
conditions across their distribution system and provides the intelligence to optimize the control of
voltage and VARS dynamically, like never before. CURRENT is creating technologies that help utilities
both modernize and optimize their power delivery infrastructure to achieve demand reductions
without impacting customer usage, while also placing the utility in a position to effectively respond to
carbon pricing and renewable portfolio and efficiency standards.Volt/VAR Control is an essential
component of these technologies," said Tom Casey, chief executive officer of CURRENT.
Volt/VAR Control Solution
The CURRENT Volt/VAR Control solution enables utilities to manage voltage and VARs based on
monitored real-time conditions throughout the distribution system. Real-time data to the OpenGrid
platform is combined with geospatial, asset, SCADA and other operational data from capacitor banks,
substations and other grid devices to determine the correct actions to optimize the control of voltage
and VARs dynamically 24x7. The advanced optimization algorithm achieves the concurrent goals of
minimizing losses and optimizing delivered voltage. CURRENT Volt/VAR Control serves as the
foundation of the CURRENT Dynamic Voltage Optimization solution, which is designed to reduce the
need for costly reserves and backup generation.
About CURRENT
CURRENT Group, LLC delivers innovative and industry-leading intelligent solutions that optimize the
distribution system and offer utilities new ways to monitor and manage the health of the grid.
Through CURRENT’s distributed sensing, monitoring, communications and analytical technologies,
utilities are better able to understand, predict and respond to system disturbances and faults, identify
where inefficiencies are, and enable the smartest possible sourcing and distribution of power by the
utility to their customers.
CURRENT’s state-of-the-art technologies are being implemented by utilities around the globe and are
being utilized in the largest and most advanced demonstration projects in the world. CURRENT is
engaged in European sponsored projects in partnership with Iberdrola, the world’s 4th largest electric
utility, among others, to expand the use of smart grid technology in the European Union. This year,
CURRENT was honored by the World Economic Forum as a 2009 Technology Pioneer and selected by
Dow Jones as one of the Top 10 most Innovative Clean Technology companies in Europe.
CURRENT is a private company founded in 2000 that is backed by leading investors including Liberty
Associated Partners, Duke Energy, EnerTech Capital, Google, Inc., and Goldman Sachs & Co.
CURRENT is headquartered outside of Washington, DC, with offices throughout the United States and
in Zurich, Switzerland and has representation in Australia, Brazil and Singapore. Additional
information can be found at http://www.currentgroup.com/. Visit CURRENT in the SmartGridCity
Partners room, Continental B, during GridWeek being held at the Ronald Reagan Building in
Washington, DC September 21st through the 24th.
About SmartGridCity
CURRENT is a founding member of the Xcel Energy’s SmartGridCity Consortium, established in
December 2007 to provide guidance, products and services needed to bring Xcel Energy's Smart Grid
vision to life. Over the last year SmartGridCity has installed sensing and communications equipment
to monitor the Boulder distribution grid covering over 45,000 homes along with 15,800 smart meters.
To date, SmartGridCity has also deployed/integrated more than 20 disparate applications, built 95
new interfaces and performed more than 300 test cases for go-live preparation and is realizing early
benefits.
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight
Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related
products and services to 3.3 million electricity customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers
through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More
information is available at www.xcelenergy.com