Silicon Valley Power (SVP; Santa Clara, California, U.S.), the city of Santa Clara's municipal electric utility, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) from suppliers interested in providing an advanced metering infrastructure solution built upon a robust IP-based utility communications infrastructure. The system will provide a foundation for SVP's new SVP Meter Connect program, serving the 51,000 residential and commercial customers of SVP.

The city intends to upgrade its existing utility communication and IT infrastructure(s) to create a working Smart Grid as it is conceived today, and to build a strong, flexible and scalable foundation for the Smart Grid of the future.

At the same time, the city seeks a multifunctional communication system to support a fast-growing demand for wireless IP-based narrowband and broadband applications for a diverse group of city departments. Existing infrastructure includes an extensive local fiber-optic network, and a wireless network supporting free outdoor Wi-Fi service to most residential areas of the city.

Siemens Energy Corp. has been selected to implement eMeter's meter data management solution called EnergyIP for managing the increased amount of data collected by this AMI solution. The city anticipates implementation of this new system in phases beginning in the fourth quarter of 2009.