October 29, 2009
US President Barack Obama announced Tuesday a 3.4-billion-US-dollar grant to support the nation's historic power transmission system reform.
The modernization would lead to a "smarter, stronger and more secure electric grid," Obama said after touring a solar energy center in Arcadia, Florida.
The president said the effort could compare to the ambitious development of the national highway system 50 years ago.
Some 100 firms, manufacturers, utilities and cities were awarded grants worth from $400,000 to $200 million to help build a nationwide "smart energy grid" to cut costs and upgrade the power grid.
The money comes from the $787 billion economic stimulus package Congress approved earlier this year.
Projects include installing "smart" electric meters in homes, automating utility substations, and installing thousands of new digital transformers and grid sensors.
"It is something that will give us sort of a transformational impact on how electricity is generated, delivered, and consumed," said Carol Browner, assistant to the president for energy and climate change.
The program is in line with the president's vow to lead the global battle against bloated energy consumption and climate change, and to build a "green economy" to produce new generation of jobs in an environmental revolution.