On Monday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has approved release of grant funding for the $178 million Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project that will create an estimated 500 jobs statewide. The project team, led by Battelle Memorial Institute with partners including the Bonneville Power Administration, utilities across the Pacific Northwest, leading smart grid companies, and the University of Washington and Washington State University - was awarded the $88.8 million grant in Nov. 2009 for Smart Grid Demonstration Project, which totals $178 with matching funds.

The project seeks to improve the region's electricity grid by installing new infrastructure to greatly enhance operational efficiency, provide energy consumers with real-time information and greater control over their energy use, with the goal of improving the overall energy efficiency system-wide and minimizing increases in the cost of power. Today's announcement signals the release of the approximately 96 percent of the funds outstanding based on approval of the team's project plan by the DOE.