New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) announced details of a $74 million smart grid initiative which comes under the support of the U.S. Department of Energy Smart Grid Investment Grant. NYISO oversees New York’s bulk electricity grid and wholesale electricity markets.

The NYISO also held a groundbreaking ceremony to start constructing its new $35.5 million primary power control center near NYISO’s headquarters building in the city of Rensselaer, near Albany.

In a release Senator Schumer stated, “Today, we’re not just breaking ground on a state-of-the-art facility, we’re flipping on an economic light switch for the Capital Region.”

“This project is going to support hundreds of construction jobs, 20 new jobs when all is said and done, and will help update our energy grid to spur even more economic development across upstate New York. This is a great day for the Capital Region and the NYISO,” Schumer added.

It was revealed that the 64,000-square-foot control center at the NYISO’s Krey Boulevard site will be the primary operational nerve center for the non-profit NYISO. This facility is expected to replace the NYISO’s Carman Road control center in the town of Guilderland in western Albany County and will be able to meet the requirement of a functional primary and backup control center.

Leveraging the capabilities of the smart grid and control center projects NYISO will be able to maintain reliability of the state’s bulk power system besides being able to operate economically efficient wholesale markets.

According to officials the new control facility can meet 21st century grid reliability requirements as it employs latest control technologies and state-of-the-art visual displays that enhance NYISO’s ability to receive, process and monitor changing conditions throughout the region.

Stephen G. Whitley, the NYISO’s president and CEO explained, “The project will help New York state achieve a number of key energy goals, including enabling the increased integration of renewable energy supplies, cultivating innovative energy storage technologies, addressing the growing complexity of modern electric grid operations and effectively implementing the broader regional markets initiative that will provide New York with approximately $190M in annual savings.”

Robert Hiney, chairman of the NYISO Board of Directors added that since electricity was very important for any economy these investments have been made at the heart of New York’s power grid. The smarter grid will ensure the reliability of the power supply and will hence help sustain and improve the economic health of the Empire State.

This smart grid initiative follows an agreement that was drawn in May 2010 between the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through which the NYISO will receive $37.8 million from DOE to deploy smart grid technologies on New York’s power grid.

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