South Mississippi Electric Power Association (SMEPA) Smart Grid Project

South Mississippi Electric Power Association (SMEPA), located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, will receive $30.5 million in funding to develop a smarter energy grid. The U.S. Department of Energy selected SMEPA as one of 100 companies to receive federal stimulus funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

South Mississippi Electric Power Association’s (SMEPA) smart grid project involves the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and covers the Generation & Transmission (G&T) Cooperative and five of its member distribution cooperatives: Coast Electric Power Association, Magnolia Electric Power Association, Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association, Southern Pine Electric Power Association, and Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association. AMI enables two-way communication between SMEPA and its member cooperatives’ substation meters and between the member cooperatives and their customers’ meters for more detailed electric usage information as well as improved outage detection. Automated meter reading enables the SMEPA collaborative to improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs.

Equipment

• 225,757 Smart Meters
• AMI Communication Systems
• Meter Communications Network
• Backhaul Communications
• Meter Data Management System
• Substation Automation Equipment for 20 out of 135 Substations
• SCADA Communications Network

Targeted Benefits

• Reduced Meter Reading Costs
• Improved Electric Service Reliability and Power Quality
• Reduced Costs from Distribution Line Losses and Theft
• Reduced Operating and Maintenance Costs
• Reduced Truck Fleet Fuel Usage
• Reduced Greenhouse Gas and Criteria Pollutant Emissions