AES Ohio Unveils First Phase of New Smart Grid Technology
AES Ohio is updating its systems to ensure fewer power outages and better reliability for customers.
Sponsored by: AES Ohio
Since its founding in 1911, AES Ohio has been dedicated to providing safe, affordable and reliable electric power to users in the Miami Valley.
Thanks to a groundbreaking modernization plan that is turning the traditional one-way electric grid into an interactive experience, customers will soon be able to manage their energy use in a new, smarter way while experiencing fewer outages.
“The Smart Grid is the future of energy,” says Mary Ann Kabel, AES Ohio corporate communications director. “It’s a smart transformation for a personalized and seamless interface with our customers. We can have dialogue with our customers, and they will have better control with regard to their energy usage.”
What is a Smart Grid?
It all starts with a Smart Meter. The modernized device obtains usage data remotely and alerts AES Ohio of outages from storms, ice, even squirrels, enabling AES Ohio to redirect power so customers can be up and running again more quickly. Even start-stop service during a move will go remote, eliminating the need for truck crews to physically drive from one place to another.
AES Ohio is currently rolling out its Smart Meter system, with 95% of customer homes and businesses expected to be online by June of 2025. The energy provider serves more than 527,000 customers in 24 counties in West Central Ohio.
Infrastructure updates will improve service, communication
The Smart Meter may be the most visible change, but it isn’t the only one. AES Ohio is in the process of building new smart infrastructure that will, for instance, open and close different branch lines to redirect power and send updates to customers via text or email.
Customers are learning about the benefits of the new Smart Grid in several ways, from explanations on their monthly statements to TV interviews, community presentations and social media posts.
“We are building a cleaner, greener energy future for our customers,” Kabel says. “But from an immediate standpoint, it’s the reliability that’s important to customers, whether it’s your residence with your children at home on computers, or if you have a business that requires certain electricity demand. Shortening the disruption of power is essential.”
