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Government

Smart grid project falls behind time

The Federal Government's $100 million Smart Grid, Smart City initiative is running behind schedule.
Written by Jacquelyn Holt, Contributor

in brief The Federal Government's $100 million Smart Grid, Smart City initiative is running behind schedule.

The selection of a winning state for the smart grid trial was scheduled for "an indicative announcement date at the end of April"; however, a spokesperson for the initiative has said a decision is still "pending".

The $100 million federally-funded project will see Australia's first commercially-sized smart grid installed in one of four states, with the trial aimed at testing a smart grid's success in reducing energy bills, resolving electrical faults and allowing consumers to self-manage their energy consumption.

The four states that applied for the trial included NSW, Victoria and Queensland, which have all submitted a bid for the smart-grid trial. A spokesperson for the Smart Grid initiative declined to confirm the last applicant.

The project was expected to start in July 2010 and finish in June 2013. The delay in announcing a successful bidder, however, may have a flow-on effect to the rest of the trial's schedule.

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