Russia's Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy Systems (FGC UES) has signed a 12 billion ruble agreement to build smart grids in the Moscow Region's high-tech cluster Skolkovo, RIA Novosti reported late Thursday.
FGC UES plans to complete the first stage of the project in the second half of 2014 and the second in 2016, CEO Oleg Budargin said.
Smart grids are electrical grids that use information and communications technology to gather and act on information, such as information about the behaviors of suppliers and consumers, in an automated fashion to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics, and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity.
Budargin also said that FGC UES plans to cooperate with a number of large international companies on the project.
The future smart grid network will supply power to Skolkovo's university, technological park, and a district of key partners, and will also ensure the operation of charging stations for electric cars.
Source: elp.com