Oregon Public Broadcasting

In Spokane this week, elected officials and utility leaders are talking about how to reduce the strain on the nation’s power system.

One of the biggest questions is how Congress should spend $8 billion in stimulus money to modernize the grid and make it more efficient. Inland Northwest Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

The widespread use of computers has made life so much easier for American homes and businesses. But utility officials say that’s also one of the main reasons the electric system is overburdened and vulnerable to outages.

This week, experts like Tim Thompson are looking at where federal investments in the grid would do the most good.

Thompson is the CEO of the Thompson Smitch Consulting Group. He’s hoping new federal spending could help utilities find ways to make the system work more efficiently.

Tim Thompson: “And then you’re also going to see an incredible investment in software applications with larger and smaller companies to help manage the grid.”

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell believes these so-called “Smart Grid” projects will provide new jobs for 7000 people in the region over the next few years.