CESC to sign agreement with US trade and development agency

Kolkata, March 23 (IANS) RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group Power Company CESC, which serves 2.5 million consumers in the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah, will sign an agreement next week with the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to fund a feasibility study for a smartgrid pilot project.

The US financial grant, amounting to US $618,860, will fund a feasibility study for implementation of the smartgrid technologies across the company's electricity distribution network in its licensed area.

The agreement is scheduled to be signed in Delhi Monday in the presence of the visiting US Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson, who is leading a big US trade mission.

USTDA Regional Director Henry Steingass will sign the agreement on behalf of the US Government, while the power utility will be represented by Executive Director - Distribution Services Dilip Kumar Sen.

Asserting that the company was keen to apply modern smartgrid technologies to enhance the reliability and efficiency of its power distribution system, Sen said: "The Company has already invested heavily in deploying state-of-the-art plant and equipment, including modern telecommunication system, distribution automation and smart metering solutions."

"The feasibility study through the USTDA financial grant will facilitate bench-marking, as also adoption of best international technologies, solutions and practices," Sen added.