Katie Jereza, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, recently toured Georgia public power utility Marietta Power and Water.
The visit celebrated a major milestone in local infrastructure resilience: the deployment of new, state-of-the-art SCADA-controlled vacuum interruptible switches as part of the Marietta Power Grid Renewal and Modernization Project.
The modernization effort represents a total project investment of $3,962,519, made possible by a $2,659,031 federal funding award administered through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). The remaining $1,303,488 was provided via local match funding.
The project utilizes a hybridized control distribution automation system to dramatically increase system visibility and support Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR), which is projected to cut local outage minutes by more than half.
Marietta Power is taking a unique approach to FDIR technology, becoming the first in the country to implement this particular version of the system.
“Marietta is demonstrating how to get more from the grid we have while preparing for the growth ahead,” said Jereza. “By reducing outage times by 50 percent with this new automation system, we’re helping strengthen electric service, keep affordability central to the work, and protect both residential families and economic drivers.”
The visit featured a hands-on technical hardware demonstration at the Operations and Maintenance Building.
“Reliable electricity is essential to Georgia’s communities, businesses, and economy,” said Trey Bennett, executive director of GEFA. “Investments like Marietta’s grid resilience project will give utilities the tools they need to detect disruptions, isolate problems, and restore service more quickly. By supporting advanced technologies that strengthen the reliability of our electric grid, GEFA is helping communities keep the power on when it matters most.”
This project reflects Marietta’s continued focus on strengthening utility infrastructure while maintaining reliable and affordable service for customers.
“Marietta has always believed in investing wisely in the infrastructure that serves our citizens and businesses every day,” said Mayor Steve Tumlin. “This project strengthens the reliability of Marietta Power while making smart use of federal, state and local resources. We appreciate the partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and GEFA and their investment in helping Marietta continue providing dependable, affordable public power.”
"Our core mission has always been to provide exceptional grid security and reliability without compromising our status as one of the most affordable public power providers in Georgia," said Ron Mull, General Manager of the Marietta Board of Lights and Waterworks. "This partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and GEFA equips our network with advanced SCADA-driven vacuum switches that isolate faults dynamically. When a disruptive event occurs, our systems will now automatically reroute power around the hazard, keeping lights on for our citizens and local businesses."
The Marietta Board of Lights and Waterworks governs Marietta Power and Water, a community-owned municipal utility in Marietta, Georgia,
In recent months, Jereza has also visited other public power utilities including California's Burbank Water and Power, Iowa's Muscatine Power and Water and Oklahoma's Grand River Dam Authority.
