Landis+Gyr Supports Smart Grid Demonstration Project at Kansas City Power and Light

The project includes significant infrastructure upgrades to the demonstration area substation and distribution network. The project provides customers with in-home displays, programmable thermostats, and home area networks, all designed to help customers manage their energy usage. KCP&L’s SmartGrid project also includes installation of rooftop solar panels at both residential and commercial sites, electric vehicle charging stations and battery storage.

Beginning in October, Landis+Gyr and KCP&L will install Gridstream RF smart grid technology that enables two-way communication between the utility and the meter. The technology will be deployed in and around the “Green Impact Zone,” which is a collaborative effort to focus federal stimulus funding on neighborhoods in Kansas City’s Midtown urban core.

“Our SmartGrid project will give customers the information they need to better control how and when they use electricity, which can result in a lower monthly bill,” said Mike Deggendorf, KCP&L Senior Vice President for Delivery. “It will also improve reliability and help us respond quicker to outages. Through this project we expect to learn a great deal about customer preferences as well as how various smart grid technologies work together, both of which will be critical as we look to build the utility of the future.”

KCP&L’s SmartGrid demonstration includes smart generation, distribution and consumption programs to improve efficiency and reliability. The Gridstream solution supports these objectives by providing grid automation, advanced metering and in-home networking capabilities with a single communications network.

“We’re excited to participate in this ground-breaking demonstration project,” said Richard Mora, CEO of Landis+Gyr North America. “The KCP&L project should validate many direct examples for involving the consumer directly in generation and conservation of energy. Landis+Gyr is working with utilities around the world on similar projects and is actively implementing standards-based systems that enable monitoring and control of distributed generation, charging stations, smart thermostats and appliances, and other load management tools.”

Landis+Gyr’s Gridstream RF technology uses a powerful radio mesh network to communicate with meters and distribution devices, such as monitors and switches. Gridstream devices use the Smart Energy Profile standard to communicate with smart appliances and in-home units. This technology is currently being deployed to millions of residential and commercial sites across the United States.

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About Landis+Gyr
Landis+Gyr is the leading provider of integrated energy management solutions tailored to energy company needs. With a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation, Landis+Gyr is unique in its ability to deliver true end-to-end advanced metering solutions. Today, the Company offers the broadest portfolio of products and services in the electricity metering industry, and is paving the way for the next generation of smart grid. With annualized sales of more than US$1.25 billion, Landis+Gyr operates in over 30 countries across five continents, and employs nearly 5,000 people with the sole mission of helping the world manage energy better.

About KCP&L:
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP) is the holding company of Kansas City Power & Light Company and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company, two of the leading regulated providers of electricity in the Midwest. Kansas City Power & Light and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations use KCP&L as a brand name. More information about the companies is available on the Internet at www.greatplainsenergy.com or www.kcpl.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Jacobson
Landis+Gyr
218-562-5195
mailto:dan.jacobson@landisgyr.com

Courtney Beatty
KCP&L
816-556-2414
courtney.beatty@kcpl.com