THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 9, 1995 TAG: 9505090285
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Virginia Power may be coming to your living room, too.
Imagine turning on the tube, pressing a few buttons and finding out exactly how much energy you've used and how much money you'll spend because you blasted your air conditioner every day during a heat wave.
``If it's a really hot day, you can look back and say, `Wow, we really ran the air conditioner a lot,' '' said Shannon Killinger, a project manager with Virginia Power.
The plan is still in the works, but the Richmond-based utility says it is determined to stake its claim in communications technology. The company announced Monday that it has joined with Cox Communications Inc. and Northern Telecom Inc. of Canada to test a broad-based communications network in Hampton Roads.
Atlanta-based Cox owns the special cables, which is very important to companies like Virginia Power that want to get on those lines. Northern Telecom's part of the deal is making a device that will process signals from cables. And Virginia Power gets its own stage to show off its energy-management services.
The companies refused to discuss the financial details of the deal, but Virginia Power said its costs would be ``minimal.''
The project involves technology that could allow residential customers to order videos on demand, buy telephone services and manage electricity use, among other things.
This summer, workers will install new equipment in the homes of about 48 Cox and Virginia Power employees in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The guinea pig employees probably will be able to read their meters and monitor their bills while sitting on the sofa. Other services would include Virginia Power's ability to detect power outages at their homes.
``The technology will allow us to provide our customers with up-to-the-minute information to help them make wise choices in using technology,'' said Thomas J. O'Neil, the utility's vice president of energy efficiency.
Company officials hope to make the technology available within two years.
Even further down the road, Virginia Power envisions much more intelligent technology, Killinger said. She points to a system that can tell you that your fridge is on the blink and is using too much power.
If it succeeds, the utility could reduce operational costs. For example, Virginia Power would no longer have to send out meter readers. Also, if it's able to persuade customers to conserve electricity during peak hours, it could save money. The company is forced to fire up extra equipment then.
For the utility and Cox, the race is on. Neither is the first in its industry to delve into this sort of communications system, but both say they are determined to stake their claim here. by CNB