A new "Smart Grid" major at
Cincinnati State will make sure the region's workforce keeps up with the times.
Locally, Duke Energy is
playing a major role in advancing the national "Smart Grid" movement designed to make electricity delivery more efficient and helping relieve pressure on energy providers to build new power plants. Duke is one of the nation's leaders in providing this new technology, and serves approximately 4 million customers in five states: Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Indiana. Last fall the company received $200 million in federal stimulus funds to install "smart" electric meters in its customers' homes and businesses.
Residents and businesses in Ohio and Kentucky will be among the first in the country to experience Smart Grid technology with smart meters, which allow for more accurate billing and more personal control of individual electric and gas usage. Duke already has installed 47,500 electric and 28,800 smart meters across Cincinnati. Eventually, 700,000 electric and 450,000 natural gas meters will be installed across the state.
Starting in the Fall 2010, Cincinnati State will offer a "Smart Grid" major as part of its power systems engineering technology program.
"Smart, digital technology is changing the face of the energy industry in much the same way wireless changed the telephone business," said Mark Wyatt, Duke Energy's vice president of smart grid and energy systems. "Having a major devoted to understanding how this technology integrates with today's grid is an important first step in preparing tomorrow’s energy professionals."
The major will train student-technicians to install meters as well as maintain them and work on distribution and transmission processes. The major will be geared toward the electric utility industry, but Cincinnati State officials believe skills learned can be used across an array of industries.
Courses will include physics, algebra, and "Direct Current Circuit Analysis," "Alternating Current Circuits Lab," "Introduction to the National Electric Code" and "Power Systems Design."
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Bob White, Cincinnati State and Technical College Communications
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