Alliant Energy Laying Foundation For Smart Grid

Madison, WI - Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), an Alliant Energy company, will begin installing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) for customers in the Port Edwards, Nekoosa and Wisconsin Rapids areas, also including the communities of Pittsville, Vesper, Auburndale, Rudolph and their surrounding areas. This will take place over the next several months.

AMI is the foundation for Smart Grid, which delivers energy from suppliers to consumers using digital technology to save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability. AMI technology uses remote two-way wireless communication to retrieve detailed customer energy usage information.

"AMI lays the groundwork for partnering with our customers to build a smarter energy future," explains John Kratchmer, Vice President of Energy Delivery Operations, Alliant Energy. "This technology and the future opportunities it presents will empower customers by providing the insight and tools needed to manage their own energy usage and create opportunities for long-term cost savings, while also creating operational efficiencies at WPL."

Once fully operational, AMI will provide the ability to read meters without having to visit customer property on a regular basis, reduce the number of estimated bills and allow for more efficient response to and restoration of electric service interruptions. Since information is gathered more often, it will also allow WPL to better forecast energy needs during peak times and improve overall efficiency.

Alliant Energy has contracted with VSI Meter Services to perform the majority of the installations. Those crews will be working in the areas listed above throughout the next several months. Electric meters will be replaced, which may cause a brief interruption in electric service. Customers will be notified by mail prior to their scheduled installation.

Meters will continue to be manually read until the new AMI system has been tested and is fully operational in these areas.

For more information on AMI please visit: alliantenergy.com/smartgrid.

SOURCE: WPL